Patients undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer are at risk for development of symptomatic venous thromboembolism. However, a new study has found that the drug enoxaparin may reduce this risk and help save patients from this disease.
“The low–molecular-weight heparin enoxaparin can be applied safely on an outpatient basis. It significantly and clinically relevantly reduced the rate of symptomatic thromboembolism rates, and this effect is maintained even after dose reduction of enoxaparin after three months” explained the study leader to HemOnc Today, a leading news source for oncology and hematology.
Chemotherapy increases the risk of VTE six fold in pancreatic cancer patients. Scientists hope to use this new drug to lower the risk. The drug is safe to administer to patients without hospital supervision and the dosage can even be decreased over time. The test is still in the early stages and more conclusive results still need to be verified.
