Gynaecological cancer patients are at elevated risk of VTE. Aspirin has shown to be effective in reducing arterial thrombosis risk. In a study looking at role of aspirin in reducing VTE risk in elderly cancer patients. Patients who received aspirin had a lower incidences of acute PE, DVT. In hospital mortality was lower in patients receiving long term aspirin who had lung, colon, pancreatic, prostate, kidney, breast cancer, lymphoma, and leukaemia. Aim of the study: To investigate the effect of long-term aspirin therapy on VTE rates post gynaecological cancer surgery.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study. 1085 gynaecological cancer patients who underwent surgery in St. James's Hospital between 2006 and 2019. The primary outcome variable was objectively confirmed VTE within 1 years of gynaecological cancer surgery. A secondary outcome was the effect of VTE on progression free and overall survival.
Results
1022 completed 1 year follow up. 498 (45.9%) ovarian cancer, 412 (38%) endometrial cancer and 107 (9.9%) cervical cancer. The mean age at time of surgery 57 (18–93). The mean BMI was 30 (14–73). 92 patients were on long term aspirin for medical comorbidities. 6 patients had missing data on aspirin use. A total of 74 patients had VTE during 1st year follow-up (7.24%). 5 patients who suffered a VTE were on long term aspirin therapy. There was no significant difference in VTE rates at 1 year in patients who were on long term aspirin compared with those who did not take aspirin (5.7% v 7.3%). Overall survival rate (P= 0.33) or on progression free survival (P=0.173) were similar in both groups.
Conclusion
Our study showed that long term aspirin did not significantly affect VTE rates in gynaecological cancer patients. The number of patients in our study was small and these findings require confirmation with large scale studies.
