The Pathophysiology of Cancer and Thrombosis

Following major improvements in diagnostic modalities for venous thromboembolism (VTE), interest in the association between cancer and thrombosis has been growing. Due to increased awareness of this association, physicians have become more concerned with finding any concurrent malignant disease, particularly in patients with idiopathic VTE. With the establishment of low-molecular-weight heparin(oid)s (LMWH) as the preferred antithrombotic treatment, a number of studies have revealed an additional advantage of LMWH in patients with cancer, related to the efficacy and safety of therapy but also to a potential beneficial effect on survival. Now, detailed knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that link cancer and thrombosis has reached such a level that new options for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are beginning to emerge. In this special issue, a group of expert physician-scientists and fundamental scientists in the field of 'cancer and thrombosis' present state-of-the-art summaries of important lines of research into the biology of the interactions between cancer and thrombosis. Their findings reflect the beginning of a revolution in the diagnosis and management of cancer patients at risk of thrombosis and point the way to an ultimate improvement of their care.