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Pathophysiology and diagnosis of dyspnea in patients with advanced cancer

Pathophysiologie und Diagnose von Dyspnoe bei Patienten mit fortgeschrittener Krebserkrankung

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Zusammenfassung

Die Prävalenz von Dyspnoe bei Tumorpatienten im fortgeschrittenen Stadium bewegt sich von 19 % bis 64 %. Um Dyspnoe bei Tumorpatienten adäquat zu behandeln, ist es notwendig, die genauen Mechanismen der Dyspnoe zu kennen. Auch die genaue Diagnosestellung kann wesentliches zur Therapieentscheidung beitragen. Klinisch sollten daher alle zu Grunde liegenden Möglichkeiten für Dyspnoe bei Tumorpatienten abgeklärt werden. Detailliertes Wissen über die mannigfaltigen Ursachen von Dyspnoe ist zwingend notwendig. Anamneseerhebung, physikalische Untersuchung und andere ausgewählte Untersuchungen sollten rasch durchgeführt werden, um schnell zu einer therapeutischen Entscheidung kommen zu können. Das Abschätzen der Quantität und der Qualität der Dyspnoe können ebenfalls dazu beitragen, die Bedürfnisse der Patienten so schnell wie möglich zu erfassen.

Summary

The reported prevalence of dyspnea in patients with various cancers ranges from 19% to 64%. For optimal clinical management of dyspnea in cancer patients, accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause and thorough understanding of the pathomechanisms of dyspnea seems mandatory. The clinical approach to a patient with advanced cancer and dyspnea should include adequate history taking, physical examination, and selected diagnostic investigations. These should be performed immediately to enable quick treatment decisions. In addition, self assessment of the intensity of dyspnea by the patient may help to assess patient's needs as soon as possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Palliative Medicine, University Medical Centre, Göttingen, Germany

    Gudrun Pohl

  2. Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Jan Gaertner

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  1. Gudrun Pohl
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  2. Jan Gaertner
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Correspondence to Gudrun Pohl.

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Pohl, G., Gaertner, J. Pathophysiology and diagnosis of dyspnea in patients with advanced cancer. Wien Med Wochenschr 159, 571–576 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-009-0725-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-009-0725-1

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