Short- and Long-Term Prognosis in Hemodynamically Stable Pulmonary Embolism With Unresectable or Metastatic Malignancies: The Role of Performance Status.

BACKGROUND

The simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) has limitations when evaluating acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with concurrent malignancy. Despite its utility in predicting outcomes among cancer patients, the role of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) in acute PE remains underexplored. This study aims to assess the prognostic significance of ECOG PS ≥ 3 on short- and long-term mortality in acute PE with malignancy, correlating it with the sPESI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We retrospectively analyzed 44 hemodynamically stable acute PE patients with unresectable or metastatic malignancies ineligible for curative treatment at Kameda Medical Center, a tertiary medical facility in Japan, from April 1, 2019, to March 2, 2023. Of these patients, 16 (36.4%) had ECOG PS ≥ 3. No 30-day mortality occurred in patients with ECOG PS ≤ 2, compared to 18.8% in those with ECOG PS ≥ 3 (p = 0.04). Groups were similar in the sPESI scores, hospital-onset PE proportion, and initial treatments. Post PE diagnosis, 92.9% of ECOG PS ≤ 2 patients and 50% of ECOG PS ≥ 3 patients received chemotherapy (p = 0.002). Cox regression analysis revealed ECOG PS ≥ 3 was independently associated with increased overall survival hazard (adjusted HR = 4.0; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

ECOG PS ≥ 3 suggests a poorer short-term prognosis and independently predicts a worse long-term prognosis in hemodynamically stable acute PE patients with advanced malignancies.