Clinical Decision Making in the Management of Fever and Sweats
Effective management strategies for fever and sweats are limited by the paucity of data about symptom epidemiology and contributing pathophysiologies in the advanced cancer patient. Notwithstanding, careful history taking and physical examination can be used to develop a plan for diagnostic evaluation that is consistent with the patient's location in the disease spectrum and goals of care. For some patients, improved quality of life outweighs potential survival advantages. Fever, sweats, and hot flashes detract from quality of life in a significant number of patients with cancer or a history of cancer. Management strategies require an understanding of the underlying causes and pathophysiologic mechanisms, as well as knowledge of the patient's goals of care. Treatment interventions include pharmacologic, physical, dietary, and behavioral modalities.[1]
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General Information About Breast Cancer Treatment and Pregnancy
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in pregnant and postpartum women, occurring in about 1 in 3,000 pregnant women. The average patient is between 32 to 38 years of age and, with many women choosing to delay childbearing, it is likely that the incidence of breast cancer during pregnancy will increase. Breast cancer pathology is similar in age-matched pregnant and nonpregnant women. Hormone receptor assays are usually negative in pregnant breast cancer patients, but this may be the result...
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