Emergencies in breast cancer

Abstract

Oncological emergencies are important complication of cancer, potentially occurring in different phases of the disease. A preventive attitude, early clinical recognition, and treatment are cornerstones for patient survival and functional preservation. Therefore, oncological emergencies represent a challenge to the Emergency and Oncology Departments and in general to the hospital organization which should provide adequate diagnostic evaluation and treatment even on weekends and holidays. They are generally classified in mechanical and metabolic emergencies, but other classifications or subclassifications have been proposed to improve the nosological framework. Breast cancer, representing one of the most frequent cancers and the leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide, with an estimated 1.7 million cases and 521,900 deaths in 2012, is an important cause of oncological emergencies. Throughout this chapter, the principal oncological emergencies will be analyzed, with attention to pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management, focusing their clinical relevance and distinctive traits in breast cancer.