Study on Detecting Hidden Cancer Within One Year After Ischemic Stroke in High-Risk Patients with Elevated D-dimer and ESUS

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying patients who have had an ischemic stroke with a suspected embolic stroke of undetermined source ESUS and elevated D-dimer levels to find out how often hidden cancers are diagnosed within one year after the stroke. This study aims to track the occurrence and characteristics of such occult cancers and understand their natural progression. The study is observational and follows patients prospectively to gather important data that may improve future cancer screening and stroke prevention. The study includes 370 patients with ischemic stroke, elevated D-dimer levels of 820 cgL or higher, and suspicion of ESUS after initial tests, but without known cancer at the time of stroke. Participants will be followed for one year, with a telephone interview conducted at the end of this period to detect any new cancer diagnoses and to describe the course of the disease. No experimental treatments are given, as this is an observational follow-up. During the study, participants will undergo standard stroke evaluations including imaging and cardiac monitoring to confirm ESUS and elevated D-dimer levels at admission. Researchers will track the number of new cancer diagnoses within one year, cancer characteristics, stroke severity, mortality rates, and recurrence of stroke or embolism. The primary outcome is the number of participants diagnosed with new cancer within one year. The study aims to provide data that could help future screening and treatment approaches for stroke patients at risk of hidden cancer.

Discovery of New Cancer in the 1-year Follow-up After Ischemic Stroke in Patients at Risk: The INVISIBLE-1 Study