Background: The prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and cancer is challenging because patients are at increased bleeding and thrombotic risk.
Objectives: The authors sought to assess left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) as a safe and effective strategy for reducing stroke at no increased bleeding risk in cancer patients with AF.
Methods: We reviewed patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent LAAO at Mayo Clinic sites from 2017 to 2020 and identified those who had undergone prior or current treatment for cancer. We compared the incidence of stroke, bleeding, device complications, and death with a control group who underwent LAAO without malignancy.
Results: Fifty-five patients were included; 44 (80.0%) were male, and the mean age was 79.0 ± 6.1 years. The median CHA2Ds2-VASc score was 5 (Q1-Q3: 4-6), with 47 (85.5%) having a prior bleeding event. Over the first year, ischemic stroke occurred in 1 (1.4%) patient, bleeding complications in 5 (10.7%) patients, and death in 3 (6.5%) patients. Compared with controls who underwent LAAO without cancer, there was no significant difference in ischemic stroke (HR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.10-1.97; P = 0.28), bleeding complication (HR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.28-1.86; P = 0.19), or death (HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.73-2.64; P = 0.32).
Conclusions: Within our cohort, LAAO in cancer patients was achieved with good procedural success and offered a reduction in stroke at no increased bleeding risk similar to noncancer patients.
Keywords: Watchman; atrial fibrillation; cancer; left atrial appendage occlusion; malignancy; stroke prevention.
© 2023 The Authors.