"Today (13 Oct) is World Thrombosis Day. This brings with it the opportunity to raise awareness of this life-threatening and multi-faceted condition. Globally, one in four people die from causes related to thrombosis. Without addressing thrombosis head on, we cannot meet the World Health Assembly's global target to reduce premature non-communicable mortality by 25 percent by 2025.

"As part of this programme, we are highlighting a group of people at high risk of thrombosis – people living with cancer. Moving worldwide to Europe, specifically the EU as is, we know that cancer is a leading cause of death in the EU, and the European Commission has again set goals for reducing cancer-related deaths by 15% by 2020. Thrombosis is the second cause of cancer deaths, second only to the cancer itself – this is a startling fact.

"How do we achieve both global and EU targets? For a start, the multi-professional healthcare workers in the oncology and thrombosis worlds, need to talk together regularly to coordinate a cancer-associated-thrombosis (CAT) patient care pathway. Patients with CAT tell us they feel that neither in one camp or the other – oncology or thrombosis (haematology) - and struggle with obtaining clear information on CAT. We are improving both coordination and patient information at our partner hospital, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW). The earlier that cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE), the main form of CAT, is diagnosed, the earlier treatment, usually with anticoagulants, can begin.
CAT has a massive negative impact on cancer patients’ quality of life as well as increasing morbidity and mortality and of course, health service costs in this population. A team of researchers in Warwick Medical School and UHCW strive to prevent and treat thrombosis more efficiently in cancer patients through clinical trials 

"Alongside patients and other European thrombosis and malignancy experts, this team are lobbying MEPs at the EU in Brussels today, to raise awareness of CAT, the challenge of preventing CAT and most importantly, our plan for improving the lives of people living with CAT."

Annie Young is Professor of Nursing at Warwick Medical School. For further details you can contact Annie at annie.young@warwick.ac.uk

For further details please contact Nicola Jones, Media Relations Manager, University of Warwick 07920531221 or N.Jones.1@warwick.ac.uk