A systematic review on the effects of direct oral anticoagulants on cancer growth and metastasis in animal models

•Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were recently approved for patients with cancer.•Effects of DOACs on tumor growth and metastasis are unclear.•This review provides a systematic overview of experimental data in animal models.•Effects DOAC in syngeneic models are dependent on the experimental model used.•DOACs do not affect tumor progression or metastasis in xenograft models.