What is considered an oncologic emergency?
An oncologic emergency may be defined as any acute potentially morbid or life-threatening event directly or indirectly related to a patient’s tumor or its treatment.
What is the most common oncologic emergency?
Neutropenic fever (NF) is one of the most well-known oncologic emergencies. Up to 80% of patients receiving chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies will develop NF at least once during the course of therapy.
What is a pediatric oncologic emergency?
They are defined as acute, life-threatening events related to the patient’s neoplasm or its treatment, which may lead to death.
How are oncologic emergencies treated?
Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, and intravenous stenting. Epidural spinal cord compression can be treated with dexamethasone, radiation, or surgery. Malignant pericardial effusion, which often is undiagnosed in cancer patients, can be treated with pericardiocentesis or a pericardial window procedure.
Why is superior vena cava syndrome and oncologic emergency?
The superior vena cava (SVC) is a large blood vessel that sends blood from the upper body and head to the heart. SVC syndrome happens when blood flow through the superior vena cava is blocked. SVC syndrome is an oncologic emergency, which is a serious health problem caused by the cancer itself or its treatment.
Is hypercalcemia an oncologic emergency?
Two oncologic emergencies are hypercalcemia of malignancy and tumor lysis syndrome. Pharmacists play an essential role in appropriately managing the pharmacotherapeutic agents used for prevention and treatment of oncologic emergencies in order to improve quality of life, even in the setting of terminal illness.
What are 5 major oncologic emergencies that the nurse should report as soon as possible?
The common oncologic emergencies include Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVCS) and Superior Mediastinal Syndrome (SMS), Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS), Hyperleukocytosis and Febrile Neutropenia.
Why does calcium decrease in tumor lysis syndrome?
When cancer cells break down quickly in the body, levels of uric acid, potassium, and phosphorus rise faster than the kidneys can remove them. This causes TLS. Excess phosphorus can “sop up” calcium, leading to low levels of calcium in the blood.
What are hematological emergencies?
Hematologic emergencies may be defined as sudden or unexpected life-threatening events in clinical hematology and oncology which require immediate action predominantly based on clinical judgements and supported only by investigations that can be expected to produce results rapidly.
Is hypercalcemia a medical emergency?
Severe hypercalcemia (Ca>4 mmol/l or 16 mg/dl) is often considered an emergency because of a potential risk of cardiac arrest or coma 1–5.
What is a hematologic emergency?
Hematological emergencies are defined as acute life-threatening conditions in hematological diseases due to benign blood disorders or hematological malignancies or as a result of its treatment.
