Blood clots are a normal part of your body’s reaction to injury. When cut, cell platelets, called cell platelets, reach the injury site to seal the damage and stop bleeding.
Other blood clots are not helpful. Unnecessary clots can block blood vessels in the brain or lungs. This can cause a dangerous blockage in blood flow.
Blood clots can be a side effect of both lung cancer and the medicine you take to treat it. It is important to know the warning signs of clots and to seek medical help immediately if you think you have them.
The Link Between Lung Cancer And Blood Clots
Lung cancer can increase the risk of blood clots forming in deep veins. This is called venous thromboembolism (VTE). People with cancer are four to seven times more likely to freeze than people with cancer. Cancer is responsible for 1 in 5 VTEs.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of VTE. DVT is blocked in one of the veins deep within your legs and can be serious.
A DVT can break the blood clot for free and travel from the bloodstream to the lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) and can be fatal if it stops the blood supply. Blood clots can also travel to your brain and cause paralysis.
Up to 25% of people with cancer will eventually develop a blood clot. They can be painful, serious, and need treatment. Blood clots are the second leading cause of death in people with cancer after cancer.
What Are The Causes Of It?
Cancer cells damage healthy tissues when they multiply and spread. When your body detects damage to your tissues, it sends platelets and clotting factors to correct the damage. Part of this repair process involves the formation of a clot to prevent excessive bleeding.
Cancer thickens the blood and releases sticky proteins that form to clot. Tumors also press on blood vessels as they grow and stop blood flow. As long as the blood doesn’t move, it can clump.
Some people with lung cancer are more likely to have blood clots, including:
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Adenocarcinoma
- Stage 3 or 4 lung cancer
- Chemotherapy or surgery to treat your cancer.
Other factors that can increase your risk of blood clots include:
- Being Age Over 65 years
- Being Pregnant
- Smoking
- Infection
- Having Obesity or Being Overweight
- Blood clots have a family history
- Undergoing Blood Transfusions for Anemia
Some cancer treatments also increase the risk of blood clots. Chemotherapy damages the walls of the blood vessels and stimulates the release of substances that cause clotting. Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin and the targeted drug bevacizumab (Avastin), are known to cause fatigue.
Lung cancer surgery is another risk. When you are on the operating table and away from your feet, blood vessels and gills can form in your veins. The hospital where you have the surgery must take special precautions to prevent you from stopping blood clots later.
Symptoms
Blood clots don’t always cause symptoms. These symptoms may indicate a blockage:
- Swelling, warmth, or pain in the back of the thigh of one calf and one leg.
- Redness of the skin
- Your chest may hurts while taking a deep long breath
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Heart rate
- Coughing up blood, which is less common.
A blood test, CT scan, or ultrasound can confirm if you have a blood clot. If you have a clot, your doctor may give you medicine to dissolve it and prevent new clots from forming. It will help you heal while your body cools down.
Risk Reduction
There’s just one more risk of blood clots, one risk. Avoid creating contests.
You may need to thin your blood to prevent blood clots, such as heparin or other medications. When you l. If you decide to prescribe this prescription, your blood will outweigh your risk of bleeding from a blood clot.
When your risk of blood clots is high, you may need blood thinners after lung cancer surgery. You can also wear compression stockings or socks to keep blood moving in your legs and prevent it from clotting while you heal.