title: Dyspnea in palliative care: expanding the role of corticosteroids.
abstract: Dyspnea is one of the most common symptoms in advanced cancer patients at the end of their life. It is often multifactorial with diverse malignant, nonmalignant, and cancer treatment related etiologies. Oxygen, opiates, and anxiolytics are commonly administered. Here a complex case of progressive dyspnea and its treatments in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer is described, and its multiple potential contributing causes are identified and clinical responses evaluated. Literature review is conducted on pulmonary drug toxicity and tumor lymphangitic spread, and the role of corticosteroids in relieving dyspnea in the palliative care setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA. ril9016@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Adelman
authors.forename: Sonal S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones