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Oncologic Emergencies – Venous Thromboembolism Video

ACLS Certification Association videos have been peer-reviewed for medical accuracy by the ACA medical review board.

Video at a Glance

  • Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the second leading cause of death in cancer patients.
  • Virchow’s triad proposed three conditions that need to present for a thrombus to occur. They are venostasis, hypercoagulable state, and endothelial injury. Though, today medical providers understand that only one or two of these conditions need to be present.
  • Aberrant proteins produced via mutated cancer cells and the immune system response causes a hypercoagulable state.
  • Cancer patients have high levels of tissue factor-bearing microparticles due to the tumors quickly creating and breaking down many cells.
  • The immune system response may cause VTE, as the T cells interact with cancer cells and proteins. That causes increased cytokine production, including TNF alpha. TNF alpha stimulates a receptor within the endothelial cells, producing a procoagulant response and suppressing fibrinolytic activity.
  • Venostasis commonly occurs in cancer patients due to lack of movement, central line obstruction of upper extremity veins, direct vein compression from surrounding masses, and certain comorbidities.

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ACLS Certification Association (ACA) uses only high-quality medical resources and peer-reviewed studies to support the facts within our articles. Explore our editorial process to learn how our content reflects clinical accuracy and the latest best practices in medicine. As an ACA Authorized Training Center, all content is reviewed for medical accuracy by the ACA Medical Review Board.

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