Anticoagulant Therapy for Venous Thromboembolism in Cancer

Direct oral anticoagulants were introduced for the treatment for acute venous thromboembolism just over a decade ago. Unlike warfarin, these drugs are given in fixed doses and do not require laboratory monitoring of the anticoagulant effect. Although direct oral anticoagulants are similar to warfarin in efficacy, they are more convenient to use and are associated with a lower risk of major bleeding, particularly intracranial hemorrhage. These factors prompted a change in practice guidelines to recommend the use of direct oral anticoagulants as the first-line therapy over warfarin and transformed outpatient treatment for the majority of patients with acute venous thromboembolism.(1) . . .