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.
Most oncological emergencies can be classified as metabolic, haematological, structural, or treatment-related .
Oncological emergencies are defined as any acute possible morbid or life-threatening events in patients with cancer either because of the malignancy or because of their treatment. These events may occur at any time during malignancy, from symptoms present to end-stage disease.
The common oncologic emergencies include Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVCS) and Superior Mediastinal Syndrome (SMS), Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS), Hyperleukocytosis and Febrile Neutropenia. SVCS denotes compression, obstruction or thrombosis of SVC and SMS denotes SVCS and tracheal compression.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Vistogard (uridine triacetate) for the emergency treatment of adults and children who receive an overdose of the cancer chemotherapies fluorouracil (5-FU) or capecitabine, or who develop certain severe or life-threatening toxicities within four days of receiving these ...
A mnemonic for these effects is “Stones, bones, groans, thrones and psychiatric overtones”.
Hypercalcemia is a poor prognostic factor associated with malignancy. The signs and symptoms of hypercalcemia that the patients present to the emergency department are vague and often overlap with the general symptoms of cancer itself or the adverse effects of the chemotherapy.
Five oncologic emergencies (septic shock, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, tumor lysis syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and spinal cord compression) are defined and described physiologically and clinically. Also, appropriate treatment of each oncologic emergency is discussed.
A cardiovascular emergency may not be common in medical emergency types, but they are the most severe ones. Knowing how to detect the symptom and the right time to respond to it can save many lives.
The most common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
The most common type of cancer on the list is breast cancer, with 300,590 new cases expected in the United States in 2023. The next most common cancers are prostate cancer and lung cancer.
Upon hearing a diagnosis of cancer, the patient is faced with a multitude of issues. In addition to the medical and logistic details described previously, major concerns include fear of death, disfigurement, pain, disability, infertility, dependency, abandonment, altered relationships, and financial hardship.
In this study, the diagnoses Impaired Gas Exchange, Impaired Spontaneous Ventilation and Ineffective Breathing Patterns were the most frequent.
Provides direct nursing care for specified patients, including appropriate supportive care and administration of chemotherapy, blood components, fluid and electrolyte replacements, and other oncology treatments as prescribed. Performs nursing assessments and triage of patient care needs for new and ongoing patients.
Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®)
The most common solid tumors complicated by hypercalcemia include squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and lungs, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, renal carcinoma, and a few hematological malignancies like leukemia. HHM should be suspected in patients without any skeletal metastasis.
The main cause of hypercalcemia is an excess parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH-mediated causes include adenoma/hyperplasia of the gland, familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia, and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes (type1, 2A).
The AVPU Mnemonic is an acronym for Alert, Voice, Pain, and Unresponsive. It is a system that can be used by first responders and emergency medical professionals to measure or record a victim's responsiveness at the time of emergency situation.
RPM-30-2-Can Do is a mnemonic device for the criteria used in the START triage system, which is used to sort patients into categories at a mass casualty incident. The mnemonic is pronounced "R, P, M, thirty, two, can do."
Chlorpheniramine is the Most Important Emergency Drugs and Aids.