Neurologic emergencies in patients who have cancer: diagnosis and management

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 c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inNeurologic clinics Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 101
Main Authors Baldwin, Kelly Jo, Zivković, Saša A, Lieberman, Frank S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2012
Subjects
Brain Diseases - complications
Brain Diseases - diagnosis
Brain Diseases - therapy
Emergencies
Humans
Neoplasms - complications
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary: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.
ISSN:1557-9875
DOI:10.1016/j.ncl.2011.09.004