Dr. Nagalla on the Utility of DOACs in Cancer-Associated Thrombosis

Srikanth Nagalla, MD, director of the Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, and associate professor of medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, discusses the utility of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in cancer-associated thrombosis.

Oncologists are already using DOACS such as dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and apixaban (Eliquis), in cancer-associated thrombosis, says Nagalla. Trials have been published or are ongoing to evaluate thrombosis prevention, mainly for patients with cancer who have an intermediate to high risk of developing thrombosis while receiving chemotherapy. These agents have also demonstrated benefit in patients who have already experienced a clot, says Nagalla.

Data have suggested that DOACs are effective in preventing thrombosis in patients with cancer or a history of cancer and for treatment of an active clot in a patient with active cancer, concludes Nagalla.