title: Oncologic emergencies: diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Patients with malignancies are subject to developing a unique set of complications that require emergent evaluation and treatment. With the increasing incidence of cancer in the general population and improved survival, these emergencies will be more frequently encountered. Physicians must be able to recognize these conditions and institute appropriate therapy after a focused initial evaluation. The approach to definitive therapy is commonly multidisciplinary, involving surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and other medical specialists. Prompt interventions can be lifesaving and may spare patients considerable morbidity and pain. In this review, we discuss the diagnosis of and initial therapy for common emergencies in hematology and oncology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA. halfdanarson.thorvardur@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Thorvardur R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Halfdanarson
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Moynihan
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004630:Emergencies; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy