• Stephen M Pastores and Louis P Voigt.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue C1179, New York, NY 10065, USA. pastores@mskcc.org
• Crit Care Clin. 2010 Jan 1;26(1):21-40.

AbstractAcute respiratory failure (ARF) remains the major reason for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) in patients with cancer and is often associated with high mortality, especially in those who require mechanical ventilation. The diagnosis and management of ARF in patients who have cancer pose unique challenges to the intensivist. This article reviews the most common causes of ARF in patients with cancer and discusses recent advances in the diagnostic and management approaches of these disorders. Timely diagnosis and treatment of reversible causes of respiratory failure, including earlier use of noninvasive ventilation and judicious ventilator and fluid management in patients with acute lung injury, are essential to achieve an optimal outcome. Close collaboration between oncologists and intensivists helps ensure that clear goals, including direction of treatment and quality of life, are established for every patient with cancer who requires mechanical ventilation for ARF.

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