OBJECTIVE To review the most important aspects of the clinical presentation and treatment of children with cancer in intensive care units. SOURCE OF DATA Medline (1970 to 2003); search terms: children, cancer, oncology, intensive care, complications. General and pediatric oncology textbooks. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS Practically all organs may be affected by cancer or by its treatment. The ma...

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a clonal disorder of the myeloid stem cell that causes pathologic expansion of the megakaryocytic elements in the bone marrow, with a persistent increase in the platelet count. In order to avoid the mutagenic effects of radioactive phosphorous and alkylating agents, various European clinicians use pipobroman rather than hydroxyurea as single chemotherapeutic tr...

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a unique form of acute myeloblastic leukemia, which manifests by DIVC, massive hemorrhage and hypofibrinogenemia and has a rapidly fatal outcome. Here we report a case of APL in a 38-year-old woman, who presented with an acute episode of severe menorrhagia for the first time and died due to hemorrhagic complications. The diagnosis of hematological disorders...

Viral infections remain one of the most frequent complications in patients with hematological malignancies, especially in those receiving an allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Viral infections result from reactivation of latent infection rather than from acquisition of new infection. Infections caused by herpes viruses, including cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, respiratory viruses an...

Some hematological diseases can benefit from splenectomy for either diagnosis or treatment. When dealing with patients with thalassemia, splenectomy is a common therapeutic option, particularly indicated when the patient has increased transfusion demand, symptomatic splenomegaly or any signs of poor health, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia.1 However, splenectomy can lead to thromboembolic event...

Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is a disease primarily characterized by cardiac and/or cutaneous involvement. Hepatic, hematological, neurological and pulmonary involvement are rare manifestations and normally considered as mild and transient complications. But recent studies have shown more frequent hepatic involvement in NLE. We report a two month-old male infant, born to a clinically asym...

The term refeeding syndrome (RFS) refers to the metabolic perturbations and its attendant complications in subjects who are refed after fasting. The syndrome is characterized by profound shifts of electrolytes and fluids. Its consequences are widespread and sometimes fatal. Patients with malignancies are especially vulnerable due to the presence of multiple comorbidities. We report the course o...