title: Difficulties in diagnosing neuropsychiatric complications of corticosteroids in advanced cancer patients: two case reports.
abstract: Because of their variety of uses, corticosteroids are frequently prescribed in advanced cancer patients. Two patients who developed neuropsychiatric complications on corticosteroids and their subsequent management are described. The first patient, who had a known history of steroid-induced psychotic depression, required corticosteroids to treat recurrent brain edema from a malignant meningioma. The patient was managed by using low-dose corticosteroids and concomitant haloperidol. The second patient was prescribed corticosteroids for a constellation of symptoms, including pain and nausea from a possible bowel obstruction, and developed a severe delirium that required discontinuation of the corticosteroids. The difficulties of diagnosing steroid-related cognitive and mood changes in advanced cancer patients who often have multisystem disease are discussed, as well as strategies for minimizing the effects of corticosteroids' neuropsychological complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruera
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000150:complications; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones