ONKOTEV Score as a Predictive Tool for Thromboembolic Events in Pancreatic Cancer-A Retrospective Analysis

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in patients with cancer and causes considerable morbidity and mortality. The risk of VTE is higher in patients with pancreatic cancer and is often associated with treatment delays or interruptions. Recently, the ONKOTEV score was proposed as a VTE risk predictor model for patients with cancer, but its validation is still ongoing.

Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective study to determine the incidence of VTE and to evaluate the ONKOTEV score as a VTE predictive tool in a population of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Results: Between February 2012 and May 2017, 165 patients were included in the study. The median age was 73 years, 45.5% of patients were female, and 55.8% had stage IV disease. Fifty-one patients had a VTE (30.9%); 23.5% had pulmonary embolism, 25.5% had deep venous thrombosis, and 51.0% had visceral VTE (VsT). At a median follow-up time of 6.3 months, cumulative incidence of VTE was less than 10% for ONKOTEV scores 0 or 1 and approximately 40% and 70% for scores 2 and ≥3, respectively.

Conclusion: The high VTE incidence observed in this study is consistent with prior reports. Patients at high risk for VTE with no increase in hemorrhagic risk should be considered for primary thromboprophylaxis. The ONKOTEV score may stratify VTE risk in patients with pancreatic cancer, with ONKOTEV score ≥2 being associated with a higher VTE occurrence.

Implications for practice: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication of patients with pancreatic cancer and causes considerable morbidity, treatment delays or interruptions, and mortality. Thromboprophylaxis is not used routinely in ambulatory patients. Tools to stratify the risk of VTE are important to help select patients who may benefit from thromboprophylaxis. Recently, the ONKOTEV score was proposed as a VTE risk predictor model for patients with cancer, but its validation is still ongoing. In this patient series, ONKOTEV score ≥2 was associated with high VTE occurrence and may stratify VTE risk in patients with pancreatic cancer, suggesting that ONKOTEV can be considered to select patients with pancreatic cancer for primary thromboprophylaxis.