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Venous thromboembolism often occurs in patients with cancer. The risk of venous thromboembolism
is increased because of the prothrombotic state (platelet activation, increased
tissue factor expression) as well as cancer treatment (surgery, central venous lines,
chemotherapy). On the other hand, thrombocytopenia also frequently develops in cancer
patients due to cancer itself (e.g., in haematological malignancies) or due to anti-cancer
therapy. The management of cancer-associated thromboembolism in patients with thrombocytopenia
is therefore challenging due to increased risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism
on one hand and increased risk of bleeding on the other. Generally, the use of
full-dose anticoagulation is considered safe in patients with a platelet count above 50×109/L.
However, in patients with more pronounced thrombocytopenia, a careful assessment of
venous thromboembolism recurrence risk and risk of bleeding must be made. In this paper,
we review the current recommendations regarding thrombocytopenia and cancer-associated
thromboembolism management in these patients.