SYMPTOMS & SIGNS
in their legs or lungs than people of similar age without cancer. The risk
can vary greatly depending on the type of cancer, the amount of time since
the cancer diagnosis was made, whether the cancer has spread and whether
the person has a hereditary mutation that affects blood clotting. Overall,
about 4-20% of people with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism have
cancer. People with blood-related cancers had the highest risk (28 times)
of a clot, followed by lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer, which both
had 20 or more times the risk. The risk of a clot was highest during the
first 3 months after diagnosis (53 times greater risk), compared to people
without cancer. After 2 years, the risk had gone done but was still elevated
compared with healthy people. Only after 15 years did the risk return to
normal levels. Patients whose cancer had spread had 60 times the risk of
a clot compared with healthy people, and 20 times the risk compared with
people whose cancer had not spread. Cancer patients who were also carriers
of the factor V Leiden mutation had a 12-fold increased risk of a clot,
compared to individuals without cancer who did not have the mutation. Patients
with the prothrombin 20210A mutation had 17 times the risk. In the general
population, 6-10% of individuals have factor V Leiden mutation or the prothrombin
20210A mutation. Screening for the mutations would not be a useful tool
because it would prevent only seven to 27 clots per 10,000 cancer patients
a year. It would make more sense to give prophylactic anti-clotting drug
therapy to patients with cancer who had an elevated risk of clots, such
as those with a blood cancer, lung or gastrointestinal cancer, those newly
diagnosed and those with tumors that have spread to other parts of the
bodyref
: cancer-related pain affects 4 million people worldwide, affecting 70%
of people with advanced-stage tumors (> 41% of patients with metastatic
solid tumors, 42% of which are receiving inadequate palliation). It is
due to :| able to carry on normal activity and to work; no special care needed. | 100 | normal no complaints; no evidence of disease. |
| 90 | able to carry on normal activity; minor signs or symptoms of disease. | |
| 80 | normal activity with effort; some signs or symptoms of disease. | |
| unable to work; able to live at home and care for most personal needs; varying amount of assistance needed. | 70 | cares for self; unable to carry on normal activity or to do active work. |
| 60 | requires occasional assistance, but is able to care for most of his personal needs. | |
| 50 | requires considerable assistance and frequent medical care. | |
| unable to care for self; requires equivalent of institutional or hospital care; disease may be progressing rapidly. | 40 | disabled; requires special care and assistance. |
| 30 | severely disabled; hospital admission is indicated although death not imminent. | |
| 20 | very sick; hospital admission necessary; active supportive treatment necessary. | |
| 10 | moribund; fatal processes progressing rapidly. | |
| 0 | dead |
(10-20%; up to 30-40% in advanced neoplasms; if severe prognosis = 40%
survival after 3 months)
caused by severe infection could account for almost 10% cancer deaths in
hospitals in USA. Cancer patients are nearly 4 times more likely to be
hospitalised with severe sepsis than people without cancer. A blood cancer
make a patient 15 times more likely than the average person to suffer from
severe sepsis : these patients are more at risk of their immune systems
being severely weakened than those with other forms of cancer.
due to
:
Copyright © 2001-2005 Daniele Focosi.
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