Symptom evaluation of oncologic patients in the emergency department

Ferrer Pérez AI, Vidal Losada MJ, Tobeña Puyal M, Serrano Solares S, Ruíz-Echarri Rueda M, Millastre Bocos E

Objectives: To describe the profile of the oncologic patient seen in the emergency

department of a tertiary hospital and to analyze the reasons for consultation and the

clinical management of the symptoms that gave rise to the consultation.

Method: Between October 2007 and March 2008, we performed a prospective,

descriptive study in which we recorded the characteristics of all the oncology patients

seen in the emergency department of our hospital, together with the reasons for

consultation and the clinical management.

Results: A total of 251 patients were seen (mean, 12 patients/wk). Categorized according

to the primary tumor, 65 patients (25.9%) had lung cancer, 47 (18.7%) colorectal cancer,

and 32 (12.7%) breast cancer. One hundred eighty-five (73.7%) had metastatic disease

and 133 (52.9%) were receiving chemotherapy. The most common reasons for

consultation were fever (46 cases, 18.3%), tumor-related pain (39 cases, 15.5%),

dyspnea, (36 cases, 14.3%), and nausea and vomiting (28 cases, 11.2%). After evaluation

in the emergency department, 121 patients (48.2%) required admission.

Conclusions: Patients with metastatic tumors and those receiving active treatment make

the greatest demands on emergency departments and almost half the oncology patients

seen in the emergency department required hospital admission.

Ferrer Pérez AI, Millastre Bocos E, Ruíz-Echarri Rueda M, Serrano Solares S, Tobeña Puyal M, Vidal Losada MJ