Response to Thrombolysis in Patients with a Diagnosis of Cancer: A Post Hoc Analysis of the AcT Trial.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing number of patients with cancer and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aim to compare outcomes in patients treated with thrombolysis for AIS with a history of cancer to those without. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of the Intravenous tenecteplase compared with alteplase for acute ischaemic stroke in Canada (AcT) trial, evaluating tenecteplase versus alteplase in patients with AIS within 4.5 h of onset. ICD-10 codes via administrative data linkage were used to identify a history of cancer. Primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 at 90 days. Other outcomes included mRS 0-1 at 90 days, return to pre-stroke function, mortality and bleeding. Analysis was done using logistic regression for binary outcomes adjusted for age, stroke severity, presence of cancer history and time from onset to needle. A generalized linear regression model was used for numeric outcomes, with effect measures reported as adjusted risk ratios (aRR). RESULTS: Of the 1577 patients enrolled, 37 (2.35%) had a prior diagnosis of cancer. At 90 days, cancer patients were less likely to achieve 90-day mRS 0-2 (aOR of 0.33 [95% CI 0.15-0.75]) and had higher mortality (aOR 3.75 [95% CI 1.76-7.75]) as compared to those without cancer. Length of stay was longer in patients with cancer than those without cancer (median 11.5 days [IQR 7-24.5] vs 5 days [IQR 3-11], respectively, aRR 2.76 [95% CI 2.58-2.94]). CONCLUSION: Patients with AIS and a history of cancer had worse functional outcomes, prolonged length of stay and higher rates of mortality as compared to those with no diagnosis of cancer.