More research is needed to ensure that some of the most vulnerable patients aren’t exposed to increased risk of fatal blood clots, a leading Welsh expert will argue this week (Thursday 24th November).
Dr Simon Noble, a clinical Senior Lecturer in Palliative Medicine at Cardiff University, will make his call during the first meeting of the Thrombosis Research in Advanced Disease (TRAD) Alliance – an alliance of some of Europe’s leading experts in managing treatment of blood clots in patients with incurable illnesses, like cancer.
Thromboembolism is the combination of thrombosis and its main complication, embolism – where a formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructs the flow of blood. If the clot breaks free, the clot may travel to the lungs and form a pulmonary embolus which can prove fatal. The treatment of thrombosis is well established in healthy patients – but there is a limited knowledge of the treatment of palliative care patients.
“There is a massive gap in our knowledge of how best to treat patients with thrombosis, especially palliative patients with incurable diseases like cancer.
“With developments in the management of incurable malignant and non-malignant disease, it means that patients are living longer and the situation may get worse,” according to Dr Noble.
The TRAD alliance will bring some of the world’s experts to Cardiff to help find new ways of investigating the condition and disseminating new scientific research. A key part of the conference is a roundtable event – where experts from across the UK will critically evaluate current practice guidelines and identify what research is necessary in this area.
“These patients are more often the most vulnerable and present the most complex challenges in thrombosis treatment – yet, current research has left their needs unmet. It’s vital that we address this gap, for the sake of some our most vulnerable patients.” Dr Noble added.
