The impact of oral anticoagulant drugs for arterial thromboembolism in patients with cancer

•Newly diagnosed cancer patients have a significantly increased risk of arterial thrombotic events in the 12-month period following cancer diagnosis.•Guidelines recommend anticoagulant venous thromboembolism treatment in cancer patients•There is no evidence on the role of anticoagulants in the prevention of arterial thrombosis events.•OAC therapy initiated for different and non-cancer-related clinical reasons in cancer patients does not appear to reduce the described higher risk of arterial thrombotic events.•Antithrombotic alternatives should be evaluated in this setting in the context of clinical intervention studies of adequate size and design.