Preface to the 13th International Conference on Thrombosis and Hemostasis Issues in Cancer, 2026

Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to present this volume of the Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Thrombosis and Hemostasis Issues in Cancer (ICTHIC) being held in Bergamo, Italy, April 17-19, 2026.
Cancer-associated thrombosis, known since the nineteenth century, remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people with cancer. The hypercoagulable state of malignancy reflects complicated interactionay between cancer biology, the hemostatic system, platelets, inflammation, and the tumor microenvironment. Newer treatments for cancer, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted agents, and small molecules, continue to be associated with high rates of both venous and arterial thromboembolism in the context of cancer.
Since it started, ICTHIC has worked to bring together different points of view from basic science, clinical research, and patient-centered care. The main goal has always been to lessen the burden and effects of thrombotic and bleeding complications in cancer. An equally important objective of the conference is to foster the development of emerging investigators and innovative research themes that will advance the field.
The 2026 scientific program begins with a series of articles that examine the risk assessment, diagnosis, and epidemiology of cancer-associated thrombosis. These articles also look at new ways to report thrombotic events, screen for hidden cancers, and use artificial intelligence and natural language processing in this field. A second set of articles addresses bleeding and thrombosis in hematologic malignancies, highlighting the ongoing challenges of balancing thromboprophylaxis, anticoagulation, and bleeding risk in diseases such as acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and the growing field of CAR-T therapies. The next group of papers looks at new ways to prevent and treat cancer-related thrombosis, such as the best length of time for anticoagulants to work, postoperative thromboprophylaxis, splanchnic vein thrombosis, and atrial fibrillation in cancer patients.
A major highlight of the meeting is the Simon Karpatkin Memorial Lecture, honoring the late Professor Simon Karpatkin for his seminal contributions to the understanding of platelets, immunity, and cancer. The 2026 lecture, delivered by Jeffrey Zwicker, addresses the thromboinflammatory links underscoring the critical links between inflammation, coagulation, and malignancy.
A set of papers addresses challenging conditions in cancer, including the epidemiology of bleeding, thrombocytopenia, microangiopathies, and bleeding complications associated with anticoagulant therapy. The papers devoted to hemostasis-cancer crosstalk give mechanistic insights into tumor biology, novel experimental models, and the evolving role of factor XI inhibitors. Returning to clinical aspects, a set of papers addresses the management of acquired bleeding disorders, outpatient management, pharmacokinetic interactions, balancing bleeding/thrombotic risk in palliative care settings, and the role of aspirin and antiplatelet therapy in cancer prevention. A multidisciplinary set of papers emphasizes implementation strategies for cancer-associated thrombosis prevention and highlights a team-based approach. Advances in predicting thrombosis as well as bleeding in this setting are discussed, including the role of next-generation biomarkers and genomic profiling. Future directions, including the role of repurposing old drugs such as statins, optimizing thromboprophylaxis, and the roles of hormones, are reviewed.
We are deeply grateful to the faculty, abstract authors, reviewers, sponsors, and participants whose contributions made this meeting both scientifically rigorous and clinically meaningful. As cancer medicine continues to evolve, researchers are finally understanding the roles of the hemostatic system and antithrombotic therapies in shaping cancer outcomes. We are proud that ICTHIC remains at the forefront of this evolving landscape and continues to serve as a vital platform for collaboration across disciplines.

The Conference Chairmen: Anna Falanga, Benjamin Brenner, Alok A. Khorana