Simple Test Can Rule Out Pulmonary Embolism in Cancer Patients
A new clinical study suggests that the YEARS algorithm can effectively rule out pulmonary embolisms in cancer patients without the need for invasive CT scans. By using a combination of clinical questions and D-dimer blood tests, the method reduces radiation exposure and hospital costs for high-risk patients.
Why it matters
This diagnostic advancement offers a safer, more efficient, and cost-effective alternative to standard imaging for cancer patients prone to blood clots.
A simple test that involves answering several clinical questions and completing a blood test can accurately predict if cancer patients have a blockage in one of the arteries leading to the lungs.
The YEARS algorithm was non-inferior to doing a computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) scan, which is current common practice for cancer patients with a suspected pulmonary embolism.
As reported in JAMA , 22% of patients in the study did not need to have CT scanning at all, avoiding a more invasive form of screening that also exposes patients to radiation.
Patients with active cancer have an estimated 11-fold increase in risk for blood clotting events such as venous thromboembolism or pulmonary embolism compared with people without cancer. Until now, guidelines specifically cautioned against using clinical decision rules like YEARS in cancer patients, leaving clinicians with no validated alternative to CT scanning.
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