Syncope and Prostate Cancer Ambivalent Case History

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a well-established complication of each malignancy, despite autopsy and retrospective studies suggesting that cancers of the pancreas, lung and stomach are most strongly associated with thrombosis [1,2]. Population based studies have identified lung, colon and prostate cancers (PC) as having a high rate of VTE association [3]. Thrombotic events may in fact be the first presentation of occult cancer; 10% of idiopathic VTEs have an underlying identifiable malignancy. These can manifest as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus (PE) [1].