title: [Cancer disease should not be a limitative factor for admission of high risk surgical patients to an intensive care unit].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oncologic diseases are conditions that have influence in the treatment offered to affected patients. The aim of this study was to compare hospitalar outcome of oncologic and non oncologic patients submitted to high risk elective surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational cohort study realized in an ICU of a tertiary hospital during the period between 04/01/2005 and 07/31/2005. Demographic data, APACHE II and MODS scores and laboratorial and hemodynamic variables were collected and complications like re-intervention need for mechanical ventilation, red blood cell transfusions and pulmonary artery catheter use during the post-operative period were evaluated. All patients were followed until hospital discharge or death. T student and Mann Whitney tests were used to compare numerical variables. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. A p < 0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  119 patients were included in the study. 43 were oncologic and 76 were non-oncologic. 52.9% were female. Mean age was 65.1 ± 14.1 years. Mean APACHE II score was 16.5 ± 5.8 and MODS median was 3 (2-6). Median length of surgery was 5 (3.3-7) hours and ICU and hospital mortality were 10.9% and 25.2%, respectively. Oncologic patients had greater length of hospital stay and length of stay before surgery. These results were statistically significant. Hospital mortality of oncologic patients was not greater than non-oncologic patients (22.4% versus 30.2%, p = 0.32).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series, oncologic patients submitted to high risk surgery had the same mortality rate as non-onconlogic patients with similar disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Cristina P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Samantha L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Vanessa M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Célio A B
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gusmão
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: José M A
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: João M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Silva Júnior
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual.
authors.forename: Ederlon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rezende