Aetiological diagnosis of acute respiratory failure in critical care oncology.

Acute complications are frequent in cancer patients and their adequate management, including in critical care units, may be crucial [1]. The prognosis of such complications in terms of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital mortality is mainly determined by the acute physiological perturbations they induce, as reflected by gravity scores in critically ill cancer patients [2, 3], but also by the degree of life-supporting therapy that is required, such as mechanical ventilation [3, 4, 5] or extra renal epuration [6]. This has been confirmed by many other studies summarised in a systematic review of the literature [7]. After recovery from the acute complication, the further prognosis is determined by the characteristics of the underlying cancer and no longer related to the perturbations induced by the complication [1].