Objective:
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a life-threatening complication that may exacerbate
cancer prognosis. Whilst some studies indicate an increased risk of VTE in
cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy, the prevalence estimates on the pooled prevalence of VTE in
cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy are not known. This study aims to calculate the pooled prevalence of VTE in
chemotherapy-treated
cancer patients. Methods: Studies on VTE occurrence in
cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy were retrieved after database search. The terms used included “cancer”, “chemotherapy”, and “venous thromboembolism”. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to obtain a pooled estimate of VTE prevalence in
cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy. Results: A total of 102 eligible studies involving 30,671 patients (1773 with VTE, 28,898 without) were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of VTE prevalence was found to be 6%, ranging from 6% to 7% (ES 6%; 95% CI 6−7%; z = 18.53; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The estimated pooled prevalence rate of
VTEs was 6% in
cancer patients undergoing CRT, which was higher than the overall crude prevalence rate (5.78%). Comprehensive
cancer care should consider stratified VTE risk assessment based on
cancer phenotype, given that certain phenotypes of
cancer such as bladder, gastric and ovarian posing particularly high risks of VTE.