Stroke risk factor, pattern and outcome in patients with cancer

Objective - To investigate risk factors, stroke pattern and outcome in stroke patients with cancer. Method - A retrospective review of all stroke patients with cancer (n = 69) admitted to Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Sydney, Australia, between January 1999 and December 2004 was conducted, and comparison made to age- and gender-matched non-cancer stroke patients admitted to the same hospital during the same period. Results - Vascular risk factors did not significantly differ between cancer and non-cancer groups. There was a trend towards greater risk of intracerebral haemorrhage in the cancer group vs the non-cancer group. Previous deep vein thrombosis was more common, and prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were prolonged in the cancer group vs the non-cancer group. More patients died in hospital in the cancer group vs the non-cancer group.Conclusions - Coagulation disorders are more likely to be seen in stroke patients with cancer, and patients with cancer have a higher in-hospital post-stroke mortality.