Study data from University of Illinois, College of Pharmacy update knowledge of cancer therapy
2007 NOV 19 -- Researchers detail in 'Examining differences in weekly warfarin dose in patients with and without cancer,' new data in cancer. "The incidence of thrombosis and bleeding is higher in patients with cancer receiving warfarin compared with low molecular weight heparins. Despite these findings, warfarin remains a commonly used treatment strategy for anticoagulation in patients with cancer secondary to several factors that limit the use of low molecular weight heparins," researchers in the United States report. "Determining the appropriate warfarin dose in cancer patients is challenging. The objective of our study is to compare the weekly warfarin dose in patients with and without cancer. In a retrospective analysis, the average weekly warfarin dose was compared for 63 subjects who 1) were treated for cancer while receiving warfarin (n=21), 2) completed treatment for their cancer before starting warfarin (n=21), and 3) received warfarin with no diagnosis of cancer (n=21). The data were abstracted from the medical record from the date the subject started taking a stable dose of warfarin after the initial titration until the discontinuation of warfarin. No significant differences were observed in the mean weekly warfarin dose, but the dose demonstrated greater intrasubject variability for subjects in group 1 (group 1, 31 ±22% vs. 2, 19 ±11% and 3, 15 ±10%, p=0.003). Subjects in group 1 also spent more time above their goal International Normalized Ratio (group 1, 30 ±21% vs. 2, 21 ±16% and 3, 15 ±16%, p=0.038)," wrote K.M. Grogan and colleagues, University of Illinois, College of Pharmacy. The researchers concluded: "The average weekly warfarin dose was similar for the three groups, but the results of this study suggest that patients with cancer receiving treatment for their cancer and anticoagulation with warfarin are more difficult to appropriately anticoagulate." Grogan and colleagues published their study in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (Examining differences in weekly warfarin dose in patients with and without cancer. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 2007;29(5):638-43). For additional information, contact K.M. Grogan, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Pharmacy, Chicago, IL 60612 USA.. Publisher contact information for the journal Therapeutic Drug Monitoring is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA. Keywords: United States, Chicago, Cancer Therapy, Anticoagulant, Cancer, Coumarin and Indandione Derivative, Drug Development, Oncology, Pharmaceuticals, Rodenticide, Therapy, Treatment, Warfarin. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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