Pulmonary Complications of Cancer
Infectious Complications[edit | edit source]
Cancer patients are susceptible to infection, particularly those undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Aside from that, there are a variety of factors that predisposes the cancer patient to infection such as immune deficiencies, organ dysfunction, concurrent illness and past infections, nutritional status, psychological stress, surgery and diagnostic and invasive procedures.[1]
Bacterial Infection[edit | edit source]
Bacterial infection in cancer patients present in the form of pneumonia. The severity of bacterial pneumonia depends on the underlying immunologic defect, the duration of the immunocompromised state, whether the infection is community acquired or hospital acquired and the pathogen involved.[2]
Common bacterial pathogens[2]:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Escherichia coli
- Klebsiella species
- Legionella pneumophila
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Nocardia and Actinomyces species
- Moraxella catarrhalis
Viral Infection
Fungal Infection
Protozoal Infection
Non-Infectious Complications[edit | edit source]
Metastatic Disease[edit | edit source]
Metastatic disease pertains to the complication of cancer wherein the cancer cells have spread to either a distant site or an adjacent structure. Metastasis to the lungs can happen through hematogenous, lymphatic or direct invasion.[3]
Obstructive Lung Disease
Restrictive Lung Disease
Radiation Therapy Complications
Radiation Pneumonitis
Chemotherapy Complications
Chemotherapy Pneumonitis
Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Drug Toxicities
Certain drugs have been shown to increase the risk for the development of pulmonary complications such as respiratory failure.[4] This include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mTOR kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibody, taxanes. A study showed that exposure to one of more of these medications was a significant risk factor in the development of respiratory failure.[4]
Rehabilitation Treatment
Considerations
- ↑ Stosor V, Zembower TR, editors. Infectious Complications in Cancer Patients. Springer; 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Stover, D.E. and Kaner, R.J. (1996), Pulmonary complications in cancer patients. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 46: 303-320. doi:10.3322/canjclin.46.5.303 Available at https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/canjclin.46.5.303
- ↑ Jamil A, Kasi A. Cancer, Metastasis to the Lung. [Updated 2020 Mar 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553111/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brown, Anne Rain; Bruno, Jeffrey; Nates, Joseph 1239: PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS IN CANCER PATIENTS: NOVEL DRUGS WITH NEW TOXICITIES, Critical Care Medicine: January 2018 - Volume 46 - Issue 1 - p 603 doi: 10.1097/01.ccm.0000529242.93804.d6 Available at https://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Citation/2018/01001/1239__PULMONARY_COMPLICATIONS_IN_CANCER_PATIENTS_.1193.aspx