A RECENT population-based study has revealed that patients diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) face a significantly higher risk of developing cancer, especially within the first year following their diagnosis. The research, conducted using data from the Dutch Hospital Discharge Registry, included 2,649 patients admitted for their first-ever episode of CVT between 1997 and 2020.
The findings, published in February 2025, show that patients with CVT have a three-fold increased risk of developing cancer in the first year compared to the general population. This risk remains elevated for up to 10 years, with the highest absolute risk observed in men aged 50 or older, where 13.5% were diagnosed with cancer after a decade. Notably, younger patients (under 50) displayed the highest relative risk, highlighting the need for increased vigilance among this group.
The study also found that both men and women were affected by the increased risk, though cancer incidence was more pronounced in male patients during the earlier years of follow-up. Haematologic cancers were particularly common, accounting for nearly a quarter of new cancer diagnoses in this cohort.
This research underscores the importance of ongoing surveillance in CVT patients and calls for further studies to refine cancer screening guidelines for this high-risk group.
Helena Bradbury, EMJ
Reference
van de Munckhof A et al. Incidence of newly diagnosed cancer after cerebral venous thrombosis. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(2):e2458801.
