Gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) bleeding are powerful predictors of new cancer diagnosis in patients with vascular disease, based on findings from the COMPASS Trial presented Aug. 26 at ESC Congress 2018.

Increased GI bleeding with rivaroxaban also appears to unmask cancer even earlier.

"The occurrence of GI or GU bleeding in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs should stimulate a search for cancer in the same organ system," researchers said.

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