Clinical evidence consistently confirms a strong relationship between pancreatic cancer and disorders involving blood clots. Among all cancers, pancreatic cancer ranks second for the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), a condition that includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism.
Recent estimates from 2024 and 2025 suggest that roughly 20% to 40% of people with advanced pancreatic cancer will experience a clotting event at some point during the course of their illness. This makes clotting disorders one of the most frequent complications associated with the disease.
The Khorana Risk Score
To determine which cancer patients face the highest likelihood of developing blood clots, clinicians often rely on a predictive tool known as the Khorana Risk Score. This model assesses several factors, including the type of cancer involved, platelet levels, hemoglobin concentration, and body mass index.
Each cancer type is assigned a baseline score based on its known risk of causing clotting problems. Pancreatic cancer automatically receives two points, placing patients directly into the high-risk category even before other risk factors are taken into account.
