What This Means for Patients

For people with cancer, especially those who are in the hospital, developing a blood clot is a serious risk. However, blood clots can often be prevented with anticoagulant medication. These medications are generally safe, although there is a small risk of bleeding. For patients who develop a blood clot (either a deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both), the same drugs that are used to prevent clots are given as a treatment. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your individual risk of developing a blood clot, how blood clot prevention will be included in your overall treatment plan, and what treatments are available if you do develop a blood clot.