Incidence of Blood Clots in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Solid Tumors

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Cytologically or histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• •* Metastatic breast cancer
• •* Colorectal cancer
• •* Gastric cancer
• •* Lung cancer
• •* Ovarian cancer
• •* Pancreatic cancer
• •* Hormone-refractory prostate cancer
• •Scheduled to undergo chemotherapy for ≥ 3 months
• •* Chemotherapy for colorectal, gastric, lung, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer may be administered in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or palliative setting
• •History of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism allowed if treatment and secondary prevention of the last episode was completed prior to study entry
• •* Negative baseline bilateral compression ultrasonography
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Life expectancy \> 3 months
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •More than 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy\*
• •* Hormonal therapy alone is not considered chemotherapy
• •More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery, including surgery for cancer
• •* Minor surgery (e.g., implant of a port-a-cath) within the past 4 weeks allowed
• •No concurrent major surgery, including surgery for cancer, during the observation period
• •Radiotherapy before or during the observation period allowed
• •Concurrent chemotherapy\* in combination with additional hormonal therapy allowed
• •Concurrent treatment (with the exception of antithrombotic therapy) in any other clinical trial allowed
• •No concurrent or scheduled use of thromboprophylaxis or any anticoagulant therapy, including any of the following:
• •* Parenteral anticoagulants (e.g., heparin, low molecular-weight heparin, or other agents, such as fondaparinux or bivalirudin)
• •* Oral anticoagulants (e.g., vitamin K antagonists)
• •* Thrombolytic agents
• •* Chronic treatment with antiplatelet agents, such as low-dose aspirin (≤ 300 mg/day) or clopidogrel allowed NOTE: \*Chemotherapy is defined as treatment with any antineoplastic agent, including biologicals