STrategies for Anticoagulation in Patients With thRombocytopenia and Cancer-associated Thrombosis (NCT05255003)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Patients with cancer are prone to have blood clots, which are usually treated with blood thinners. The main complication of blood thinners is bleeding. This is especially a concern when the number of platelets in the blood is lower than 50,000 per microliter. The role of platelets is to stop bleeding, so when the number of platelets is low, patients are at a higher risk of bleeding. Cancer patients are prone to have lower platelet numbers due to cancer therapies and/or cancer itself. It is not clear what the best treatment is for cancer patients who need blood thinners for a blood clot but have low platelet counts. The investigators plan to do a small study called a pilot study to help plan for a larger study in such patients. In the pilot study, investigators will include 50 patients with cancer, low platelet counts, and a blood clot diagnosed within 2 weeks. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment strategies: the full dose of blood thinners along with platelet transfusion or a reduced dose of blood thinners without platelet transfusion. The investigators will follow all patients for 30 days. If this pilot study is successful, it will help lead to a much larger trial, which will provide important information on the best treatment strategy for these patients.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (4 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (10 items).
Location: University of Alberta — Edmonton, Alberta
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- Receipt of anticoagulant for index VTE with platelet count \< 50,000/uL for \> 72 hours;
- Superficial vein thrombosis only;
- Life expectancy \< 1 month (as judged by the treating physicians);
- Creatinine clearance \< 30 ml/min;
- Contraindication to LMWH such as a history of heparin induced thrombocytopenia;
- Thrombocytopenia from other causes, such as thrombotic microangiopathy, immune thrombocytopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation;
- Previously documented history of refractoriness to platelet transfusion secondary to HLA antibodies;
- Refusal of blood products;
- Anticoagulation at any dose is deemed unsafe (i.e. active bleeding or bleeding disorders)
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (4 Sites)
- University of Alberta — Edmonton, Alberta
- The Ottawa Hospital — Ottawa, Ontario
- Niagara Health - St. Catharines Site — Saint Catharines, Ontario
- Windsor Regional Hospital — Windsor, Ontario
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.