Table 1 Common symptoms and underlying conditions in patients with cancer that may contribute to misdiagnose VTE
From: Emergency management of incidental pulmonary embolism (IPE)
Chest symptoms | Shortness of breath Chest pain | Pulmonary embolism Pleural or pericardial effusion Superior vena cava syndrome |
Haemoptysis | Anaemia Infection Cancer-related asthenia Drug-related pneumonitis Radiotherapy lung toxicity | |
Syncope Palpitations—tachycardia | Myocarditis Arrhythmia | |
Lower and/or upper limb symptoms | Oedema | Deep vein thrombosis Lymphoedema |
Pain | Lymphadenopathy Superior vena cava syndrome | |
Cyanosis | Inferior vena cava syndrome Hypoalbuminaemia Arterial ischaemia |