Causes of the emergency department visits in cancer patients: postchemotherapy toxicity

Purpose: to assess the causes of the Emergency Department visits in cancer patients treated with antineoplastics. The secondary objective is to analyse the use of growth stimulating factors in febrile neutropenia. Methods: a retrospective observational study was conducted during six months of 2012. The adult patients diagnosed with solid tumour that visited the Emergency Department and whose physician was an oncologist, were included. Results: a total of 83 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The causes of visits were: 63% due to the tumour, 31% due to the chemotherapy toxicity and 6% due to other causes. In patients with chemotherapy toxicity, 65% had fever or infection, 50% pain and 42% febrile neutropenia. The treatment and prophylaxis with filgrastim followed the recommendations. Conclusions: in cancer patients, most of emergencies are due to the tumour. The management of the pain, the fever and the neutropenia is important