Is The Risk of Thromboembolic Disease and Bleeding Adequately Evaluated in Patients with Glioblastoma? A Review of The Topic

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor, with an aggressive course and a short life expectancy despite standard treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). The possibility of the development of thrombotic events (VTE) with this type of cancer is frequent. Objective: To determine the risk of presenting VTE and haemorrhagic events in patients affected by GBM. Methods: Observational retrospective study of patients with GBM diagnosis at the General University Hospital of Ciudad Real between 2012 and 2015. The demographic characteristics of patients were studied, predictive models were compared, and a survival analysis was performed. Results: 77 patients were studied, 42 (55.3%) / 34 (44.7%), men and women respectively, with an average age of 66.42 years. 13 (16.9%) presented VTE; of which 10 (61.54%) in the form of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 3 (23.08%) pulmonary embolism (PE) and 2 (15.38%) mixed events. The quality of life according to the performance status ECOG scale at the moment of diagnosis was 1 in 42 (15.38%) patients, and at the time of VTE, 5 (41.7%) had a value of 2, and 4 (33.3.3 %) registered 3. In the group that developed VTE according to the predictive model of risk for thrombosis in Khorana 5 (38.5%) had low risk and 8 (61.5%) intermediate; on the ASCO 2013 modified scale 5 (38.5%) had an Intermediate risk and 8 (61.5%) high. With a median, 1 year follow-up, 64 (84.2%) patients died, with an average time after the diagnosis of 279.09 days (216.6-341.6) (SE 31,8). 2 (2.6%) of the patients presented a greater haemorrhagic event and 7 (7.9%) cerebral haemorrhage, of which 4 (44.4%) had prophylactic Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs). In the survival analysis of Kaplan Meyer, patients who received prophylactic treatment with LMWHs had a higher survival rate with an average of 298.5 days compared to 239.3 of those who did not (p> 0.05). There were no significant variables in the multivariate analysis for thrombotic or haemorrhagic events. Conclusion and Discussion: The demographic and clinical characteristics of our patients were similar to those reported in other international publications. The predictive scale of Khorana was not validated in our study, in contrast, the modified ASCO 2013 scale was closer to our results. The creation of a precise predictive model would help to delineate the benefit of prophylactic anticoagulation in high-risk patients. Long-term prophylaxis with LMWHs has demonstrated a reduction of thrombotic events without significantly increasing the fatal haemorrhagic episodes, also demonstrating greater long-term survival, independent of thrombotic events. Randomized prospective studies are needed to demonstrate its benefits.