Pneumonia in the Cancer Patient

Evans, Scott E.; Safdar, Amar

Lower respiratory tract infections result in ­unacceptably high mortality among cancer patients. Pneu­monias cause death in this population both directly through impairment of gas exchange and progression to system infection/sepsis, as well as indirectly by precluding delivery of necessary, antineoplastic therapies. Malignancy and treatment-related impairments of host immune responses and the emergence of ­multidrug-resistant organisms associated with recurrent exposures to hospital environments may not only enhance the risks of mortality, but also exacerbate the difficulty of diagnosing pneumonia in the cancer setting. As a consequence of disordered inflammatory responses, the typical clinical observations of pneumonia, including purulent respiratory secretions and early radiographic findings, may be inapparent or absent. A comprehensive review of etiology, clinical ­presentation, diagnosis, and management of pulmonary infections is presented in this chapter.