Prophylaxis and Treatment of Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism - Comparison Hematologist/ Oncologists versus Angiologist/Phlebologists

not recommended for the first 3–6 months in patients with malignancy and VTE. Despite these recommendations, several studies indicate that the impact of VTE guidelines on clinical practice is limited [8, 9]. We recently published a survey among physicians who treat cancer patients, which showed several deviations, in particular that hospitalized cancer patients often do not receive VTE prophylaxis and many cancer patients with established VTE receive VKAs or NOACs [1]. Cancer patients with a VTE are seen by many different medical specialists, e.g. their family physician, hematologist/oncologists, or angiologist/phlebologists. Here, we present a subgroup analysis to see whether there are differences in the approach to VTE in cancer patients among medical specialties. The details of our survey have been published previously [1]. Briefly, a questionnaire was sent to all members of DGHO (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Onkologie), BNHO (Berufsverband Niedergelassener Hämatologen und Onkologen), and DGP (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Phlebologie). 275 questionnaires (5.9% of all sent) were returned and analyzed. The low response rate was discussed in the preceding publication [1]. While the survey results may not be representative, they are still hypothesis-generating. The largest groups among the responding physicians were hematologist/oncologists (n = 214, 78.4%) and angiologist/phlebologists (n = 34, 12.5%); the remainder included internists (not hematologist/oncologists or angiologist/phlebologists), surgeons, radio-oncologists, and transfusion medicine specialists. Here, we compare hematologist/oncologists and angiologist/phlebologists (table 1). Cancer-associated VTE is a common problem both in hematology/oncology and in angiology/phlebology practice. For both the initial treatment of established VTE and secondary prophylaxis throughout the next 3–6 months, both specialties give primarily LMWH but a considerable percentage also switches to VKAs and