Incidence of risk of thromboembolism during treatment high-grade gliomas: a prospective study

Eur J Cancer. 1997 Sep;33(10):1592-6. doi: 10.1016/s0959-8049(97)00167-6.

Abstract

A prospective study of a series of 77 patients on adjuvant radiochemotherapy following surgery for high-grade gliomas was conducted to evaluate the risk of deep vein thrombosis and identify risk factors. We found a 20.8% risk of deep vein thrombosis at 12 months (standard error = 4.8%) and a 31.7% risk (standard error = 7.4%) at 24 months (Kaplan-Meier method). Twenty patients (26%) developed deep vein thrombosis with a maximum incidence within the first 7 months after surgery when chemotherapy was still being administered, often with corticosteroids. The risk factors identified were histology (glioblastoma versus anaplastic astrocytoma, P = 0.032, log rank test; 0.0485 L-ratio) and the presence of paresis (P = 0.010, log rank test; 0.0161 L-ratio). A borderline tendency was found for an association between the deep vein thrombosis site and the side of paresis (P = 0.103, Fisher's exact test). Four patients (5%) had massive pulmonary embolism, which was fatal in 3 (4%).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glioma / surgery
  • Glioma / therapy*
  • Heparin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paresis / complications
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Thromboembolism / etiology*
  • Thromboembolism / prevention & control

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • calcium heparin
  • Heparin