[Cancer detection following unprovoked VTE; case history and physical examination are still of foremost importance].

The relation between cancer and thrombosis is well known. In fact, the presence of an occult malignancy in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) is named after a famous 19th century French physician; it is called Trousseau's sign. In this commentary, I elaborate upon findings from a recent individual patient data meta-analysis on Trousseau's sign. This study demonstrated that extensive screening to unmask an occult malignancy in unprovoked VTE is no better than 'simple' history taking and physical examination, alongside age-specific and gender-specific national cancer screening e.g. for colorectal carcinoma, breast cancer and/or prostate cancer. Listening to what the patient has to say and a good physical examination remain the cornerstone for modern medicine, a finding Trousseau would no doubt have appreciated.