Tranexamic acid to prevent bleeding in adults with blood cancers (TREATT)

Tranexamic acid to prevent bleeding in adults with blood cancers (TREATT)

TREATT is a trial assessing whether tranexamic acid can reduce bleeding in adults with blood cancers.

Having a blood cancer such as leukaemia leads to periods of time when the platelet count is very low. Platelets help to form a blood clot, and so when the platelet count is very low this increases the risk of bleeding. Bleeding can be a problem for people with a blood cancer. Doctors frequently give platelet transfusions to people with blood cancers to reduce the risk of bleeding or to treat bleeding, but this may not help many patients.

Tranexamic acid is a drug that can treat or prevent blood loss. It is safe and commonly used in surgery and other medical conditions where bleeding can be a problem and has been shown to reduce the risk of bleeding and the need for a blood transfusion. The trial team think this drug may also help people with blood cancers.
Currently live the TREATT trial has recruited over 500 of the planned 616 participants.

TREATT is a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial that opened to recruitment in June 2015 and is now being conducted at 16 sites in the UK and 10 sites in Australia. The trial is funded and sponsored by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and run through the NHSBT Clinical Trials Unit (CTU). The design of the trial has also been published.

The aims of this trial are to find out:

• If tranexamic acid can reduce bleeding for people with haematological malignancies
• If the need for platelet transfusions is reduced
• How this affects quality of life

We would like to give a special thank you to all the participants for their support and dedication in this trial, and without whom this trial would not be possible.

For more information please visit the TREATT website.

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