The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2018 , Vol 60 , Num 6
Evaluation of pediatric patients with an oncologic emergency: Single center experience
1 Department of Pediatric Oncolog/Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation, Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey
DOI :
10.24953/turkjped.2018.06.006
Çiftçi AÇ, Küpeli S, Sezgin G, Bayram İ. Evaluation of pediatric
patients with an oncologic emergency: Single center experience. Turk J Pediatr
2018; 60: 660-668.
In this study, we aimed to prospectively analyze the emergency diagnosis
and clinical characteristics of the oncologic emergency patients admitted, as
well as to evaluate the approach considerations to the cases, their treatment,
patient outcomes and the prognostic factors.
A total of 88 oncologic emergency patients (90 oncologic emergency
hospitalizations), except for febrile neutropenia, were admitted to the pediatric
oncology department between July 2014 and December 2015.
A total of 30 cases of tumor lysis syndrome, 19 hyperleukocytosis, 11 convulsion,
7 spinal cord compression, 7 hemorrhagic cystitis, 9 pleural effusion, 6 vena
cava superior syndrome, 4 typhlitis, 3 anuria, 4 gastrointestinal bleeding,
3 hypercalcemia, 4 acute respiratory distress syndrome, 2 acute massive
hepatomegaly and 1 increased intracranial pressure were identified. Sixty-five
(72.2%) of the study patients had a primary oncologic disease, whereas 25
(27.8%) had a recurring condition. The most common presenting complaint
was fever (23.3%) followed by breathing difficulties (22.2%). Fifty-nine patients
(65.6%) recovered and were discharged home, while 31 cases (34.4%) died.
Tumor lysis syndrome was the most frequently encountered emergency
condition in the pediatric oncology patient group. Oncologic emergencies
need to be approached quickly and systematically in the light of current
scientific knowledge.
Keywords :
pediatric oncologic emergencies, childhood, tumor lysis syndrome