Management and Immediate Outcome of Common Pediatric Oncological Emergencies from a Single Centre

Abstract

The first presentaion of children with a malignancy is often an emergency. Pediatric oncological emergencies need to be recognized and managed early and effectively for a better outcome. In this prospective study of children, with oncological emergencies, we aimed to study the nature of oncological emergencies, emergency management and immediate outcome. There were 83 patients with 110 visits with median age of 6 years. Leukemia constituted 50.6% and 92.8% was acute lymphocytic, 26.5% intracranial malignancies 59% of them posterior fossa tumors. 36.4%, presented with fever, 18% severe anemia and 16.45 % febrile neutropenia, 8% TLS (tumor lysis syndrome) and 4.5% had respiratory distress as the presentation. Presenting symptoms in 31% were neurological. 42.7% required parenteral antibiotics and 16.4% packed cell tranfusion. 90.4% of blood cultures were negative. 26.5% needed intensive care, 12 required neurosurgical procedure.