High rise of vascular events in patients with urothelial transitional cell carcinoma treated with cisplatin based chemotherapy

Purpose: We define the incidence of thromboembolic events in patients receiving multiagent chemotherapy for urothelial cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of 271 consecutive patients who received multi-agent cisplatin based chemotherapy for transitional cell carcinoma at Princess Margaret Hospital between 1986 and 1996 was performed. Indications for chemotherapy included adjuvant treatment following resection of high risk disease (13%), and primary management of locally advanced and metastatic disease (87%). Results: Vascular events occurred in in 35 patients (12.9%) receiving chemotherapy, including 18 deep vein thromboses, 9 pulmonary emboli, 7 arterial thromboses, 3 cerebrovascular events, 1 superficial phlebitis and 1 angina pectoris (4 patients had deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus). Three events were directly fatal. Overall, 3.6% of chemotherapy cycles were complicated by vascular events with 27 events (77%) occurring during the first 2 cycles. Risk factors for vascular events included a large pelvic mass and concomitant peripheral vascular or coronary artery disease. Substantial morbidity was associated with vascular events and median hospital stay of 10 days. Conclusions: There is a substantial risk of venous and arterial vascular events in patients receiving cisplatin based chemotherapy for urothelial transitional cell carcinoma. Prophylactic anticoagulation should be considered in patients with risk factors for thromboembolic disease.