According to a new study published in the journal Blood, researchers from the US have developed a new tool to help physicians predict the risk of blood clots in patients with brain tumors. Blood clots that form in veins, known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), can be fatal for individuals with adult-type diffuse gliomas, the most prevalent form of a malignant tumor growing in the brain.

The cutting-edge web-based VTE prediction tool is based on seven variables, including past VTE history, hypertension, asthma, elevated white blood cell count, greater glioma grade, advancing patient age, and elevated body mass index.

Researchers at Northwestern Medicine examined arterial blood, tumor tissue, and other data from 483 patients with recently discovered adult-type diffuse gliomas to develop the risk prediction tool. Dr. Craig M. Horbinski, director of neuropathology at North-western University, remarked that for the first time, his team has an evidence-based prediction tool for venous thromboembolism, especially in glioma patients.

He added that this device is an online calculator. In the calculator, one can enter the patient′s and tumour’s basic information to obtain a percentile of risk at one, three, six, and twelve months, respectively. He explained that armed with that information, physicians can weigh the risk of a clot against other risks that come with pre-emptively administering anticoagulants, which can sometimes cause brain hemorrhage. 

(Source: https://www.dtnext.in/wellbeing/2023/03/19/novel-tool-to-predict-risk-of-blood-clots-in-brain-tumours )