Summary of Key Points Loss of appetite and weight are common in patients with advanced, incurable cancer and are associated with a poor prognosis. Although advanced, incurable cancer patients who have the cachexia syndrome may appear malnourished, nutritional support with…
Summary of Key Points Incidence Cancer pain affects more than 30% of patients undergoing active cancer therapy. Moderate to severe pain occurs in more than 70% of patients during the later phases of their illness. Cancer pain is debilitating and…
Summary of Key Points Tumor lysis syndrome can occur in any patient with newly diagnosed or relapsed cancer, so all patients should undergo risk stratification and management according to their risk for clinical tumor lysis syndrome. Laboratory tumor lysis syndrome…
Summary of Key Points Incidence Hypercalcemia is a common metabolic complication associated with malignant disease. Hypercalcemia is frequently seen in more advanced malignancy and is associated with poorer prognosis. Etiology The three main mechanisms are tumor secretion of parathyroid hormone–related…
Summary of Key Points Cancer patients with fever and neutropenia require immediate evaluation, assessment of risk for complications, at least two sets of blood cultures (including one from a peripheral vein and one from any indwelling catheter), other appropriate cultures…
Summary of Key Points Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with cancer, affecting approximately 15% of patients during their clinical course. VTE is fivefold to sevenfold more likely to develop in patients with cancer than in patients…
Summary of Key Points Anemia is very common in patients with cancer and is multifactorial. The anemia of persons with chronic disease is associated with decreased absorption of oral iron and decreased ability to access storage iron pools. Iron-restricted erythropoiesis…
Summary of Key Points Complementary and alternative medicine encompasses various approaches to all aspects of medical assessment and management that are not commonly or extensively applied or recommended by conventional Western medical practitioners. Complementary and alternative medicine approaches are frequently…
Summary of Key Points Because of their tumor selectivity, monoclonal antibodies offer exceptional opportunities for targeted therapy. As naked antibodies they can kill tumors by receptor blockade and by actively inducing apoptosis or by reenergizing endogenous antitumor T-cell immunity. Tumor…
Summary of Key Points Recent Advances in Gene Therapy Infusion of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) transduced peripheral blood T-lymphocytes has demonstrated therapeutic activity for patients with B cell lymphomas and leukemia and two of which have received FDA regulatory approval.…