Association between perioperative low-molecular-weight heparin vs unfractionated heparin and clinical outcomes in patients with cancer undergoing surgery

Clinical Question: In patients with cancer undergoing surgery, what is the association between perioperative thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin and mortality, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and bleeding outcomes? Bottom Line: When used for perioperative thromboprophylaxis, there are no differences in the association of LMWH vs unfractionated heparin for preventing mortality, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, bleeding outcomes, or thrombocytopenia in patients with cancer.