Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology
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J. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol. · Jul 2016
The Outcome of Critically Ill Pediatric Cancer Patients Admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a Tertiary University Oncology Center in a Developing Country: A 5-Year Experience.
Cancer remains a major cause of death in children, but recent advances in supportive care and progress in the use of chemotherapy have considerably improved the prognosis. The need for intensive care management in pediatric oncology patients is increasing. However, studies demonstrating their outcome in the literature are still deficient, especially in developing countries. Here, we aim to report our experience in managing patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at South Egypt Cancer Institute, a tertiary university oncology center in a developing country. ⋯ The prognosis of patients admitted to the PICU in developing countries is still behind those in developed ones. Late referral, especially of patients presenting with respiratory failure, sepsis, and multiorgan failure usually, requires urgent intervention with inotropic support, oxygen therapy, and mechanical ventilation and is significantly associated with poor outcomes, especially in patients with hematological malignancies.