Blood clots happen when blood, platelets and clotting proteins mass together in a single point. Most of the time, clots are the body’s way of defending itself against blood loss, however, in cancer patients it is common for these clots to happen in the lungs, abdomen or legs where they can become life threatening.
A new University of Rochester, Medical Center study – considered to be the largest population study of cancer patients of its kind – is revealing that outpatient treatment seems to coincide with a higher risk of these types of clots. As many as 78% of patients treated for blood clotting were treated out of hospital.
Outpatient treatment is generally considered healthier than inpatient where possible. The study does not seem to dispute that point. But identifying what specific problems may be associated with outpatient treatment could lead to even better recovery rates.
No theory was put forth for why clotting seems more common on outpatient basis. For more information, see the below press release: