title: Neurologic emergencies in patients who have cancer: diagnosis and management.
abstract: The nervous system can be significantly affected by cancer. Neurologic symptoms are present in 30% to 50% of oncologic patients presenting to the emergency department or in neurologic consultation at teaching hospitals. Evaluation and treatment require collaborative effort between specialties. The causes of neurologic emergencies in patients with cancer are mostly related to effects of cancer, toxicities of treatments, infections, and paraneoplastic syndromes. These complications cause significant morbidity and mortality and require prompt and accurate diagnostic and treatment measures. This article reviews the common neurologic emergencies affecting patients with cancer and discusses epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 337C Scaife Hall, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly Jo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Saša A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Zivković
authors.forename: Frank S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Lieberman
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*