Aim of the study : To determine clinical course of Burkholderia cenocepacia bacteremia and outcomes in patients receiving cancer therapy. Materials and methods : We indentified 10 adult patients with culture-verified catheter-related Burkholderia cenocepacia bacteremia. Pathogens were identified with protein mass spectrometry of bacteria cells. Testing for the «Microscan WalkAway 40/96 Plus» (Germany) did antibiotic sensitivity or «VITEK 2» (France). Results : In the majority of cases course of bacteremia was indolent; this fact precluded its rapid identification with standard procedures for diagnosing bloodstream infection. All patients developed fever but we revealed neither leukocytosis nor leucopenia which could be attributed to active infection. However, antibiotic treatment was initiated during the 24 h after the first signs of infection in all cases. In one patient bacteremia was complicated with septic shock. We revealed that Burkholderia cenocepacia was able to form biofilms and persist in implanted venous port systems after treatment and in order to eradicate the pathogen venous catheters had to be removed despite effective antibacterial treatment. Initial treatment was prescribed empirically and further antibacterial treatment was adjusted based on sensitivity testing results in 7 patients. Burkholderia cenocepacia eradication rate was 100% and all patients were cured and were able to continue prescribed cancer therapy afterwards. Conclusion: given to the low frequency of Burkholderia cenocepacia sporadic infections, clinicians must be aware of the possibility of drugs and medical supplies contamination with this pathogen. If one reveals ≥1 case of Burkholderia cenocepacia-associated infection the internal investigation must be initiated. Empiric antimicrobial therapy widely prescribed to treat febrile neutropenia in cancer patients is effective in these cases. However, it cannot eradicate the pathogen from inner lumen of implanted venous catheters. Identification of the possible pathogen in blood cultures and antibiotics sensitivity testing using microbiological analyzers prompts the diagnosis of bacteremia and prescription of most effective therapy
Background. There is a wide spectrum of metabolic and toxic disorders that can cause acute encephalopathy in cancer patients. In routine clinical practice, hypoglycemia, vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficit, fulminant liver failure, uremia, severe hypoand hypernatremia should be primarily excluded. Central neurotoxicity associated with hyperammonemia in patients receiving 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and oral fluoropyrimidines should be considered in differential diagnosis. In this case, the analysis of the blood acid-base status and the detection of B-type hyperlactatemia can facilitate the diagnosis of the cause of encephalopathy. Case description. We present two cases of hyperlactatemia and encephalopathy in stage IV cancer patients with continuous infusion of 5-FU via a portable infusion pump. Conclusion. Diagnosis of the frequent fluoropyrimidin-related adverse effects, such as myelosuppression, anorexia, diarrhea, mucositis, and palm-plantar syndrome, are routine and mastered by an oncologist at the very beginning of his/her professional activity. Specific fluoropyrimidinerelated encephalopathy or hyperlactatemia are difficult to suspect and recognize. We hope our description will be useful to prevent possible diagnostic errors.
Background. Psychiatrists providing consultation in cancer centers need to understand the patient’s mental health without possibility of collecting data on the objective case history and follow-up. Purpose : to analyze the modern methods of assessment of psychopathological disorders in cancer patients. Material and Methods . Publications indexed in PubMed and devoted to the analysis of defense mechanisms, strategies for overcoming challenges, responses to acute and chronic stress, and support for family members of cancer patients were analyzed. Results . Modified psychosomatic interviews used for cancer patients, attachment styles, coping strategies, and defense mechanisms were described. The taxonomic system of the most common mental disorders in modern psycho-oncology was presented. Conclusion . The modified psychiatric interview, during which the defense mechanisms, coping styles, coping reactions with acute and chronic stress, methods of functioning of cancer patient’s family are assessed, allows a psychiatrist to obtain essential information about psychopathological status of a patient within the first (and often the only) appointment. A multidimensional diagnostic approach helps to assess the involvement of various damaging factors in a patient’s current mental status. Conclusion made by a psychiatrist in terms of the taxonomic systems of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems (ICD) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) allows him to provide information to an oncologist in a uniquely interpretable (standardized) form.
Acute cardiotoxicity is characterized by either the occurrence of abnormalities in ventricular repolarization and electrocardiographic QT-interval changes, by supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, or by acute coronary syndromes and pericarditis and/or myocarditis-like syndromes, observed any time from the initiation of therapy up to 2 weeks after termination of treatment. We report a case of first detected atrial fibrillation after chemotherapy of Hodgkin's lymphoma by cisplatin and cytarabine.
This paper reports a rare case of CLL with hypercalcemia and osteolytic humerus lesion in a 39 years old patient who suffered from benign CLL during 7 years. A brief review of the literature with description of possible etiologic mechanisms responsible for these complications is presented.
The hemostasis system was examined before, during, and after surgery in 130 patients with blood loss from 50 to more than 200% total circulatory volume. Blood loss caused deep changes in the hemostasis system, presenting as acute and subacute syndrome of different hypocoagulation degree in parallel with fibrinolysis activation of different intensity, or as hemodilution coagulopathy, or combination of both. Laboratory signs of acute DIC syndrome anticipate its clinical manifestation, which allows rapid correction of the detected disorders and prevention of severe hemorrhages. A complex of methods for rapid diagnosis of coagulopathic hemorrhages is developed. Various approaches to the treatment of DIC syndrome during and after surgery were used in patients with massive blood loss.
Numerous problems are to be solved by anesthesiology and reanimatology in modern oncosurgery: to protect weak exhausted patients from severe and extremely severe surgical injury, to carry out rational infusion/transfusion therapy and intensive care in massive blood loss, perioperative organ and polyorgan failure, and sepsis. Combined analgesia is used in highly traumatic oncological operations: inhalation narcosis with fluorine drugs with epidural analgesia and anesthesia. Good results were obtained in the treatment of very grave patients. Mortality from highly traumatic operations with blood loss higher than 50% of total circulating blood decreased to 10%. Modern methods of intensive care, such as intraoperative reinfusion of autoerythrocytes, extracorporeal detoxication, immunocorrection for preventing and treating sepsis, etc., are widely used with good effect.