Oncologic emergencies in the emergency medicine residency curriculum: A national survey

In the United States, cancer is the second most common cause of death in individuals older than 45  years of age [1]. There is no clear description of the incidence of oncologic presentations to emergency departments (ED), probably due to variability between cancer centers and general hospitals, underreporting of suspicion of cancer, and patients with limited healthcare access presenting prefer entially to EDs. However, cancer patients consume more resources and have higher admission rates [2]. Additionally, the relative proportion of oncologic ED visits is expected to rise given the increasing incidence of cancer, improving outcomes within this population, and the increasing administratio n of novel cancer therapy on an outpatient basis [2-8].
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research