Oncological patients, chemotherapeutics and anesthesia

Abstract

Today, despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment methods, cancer is increasingly ranked second worldwide as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular diseases and is becoming a health problem with increasing importance day by day. According to the World Health Organization 2020 report, approximately 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer and 10 million die from cancer or related complications. Every year, 3-4 out of 1000 people are diagnosed with new cancer and it causes death in 1-2 of them. Although lung, prostate, colorectal, and breast cancers are more common, obesity and smoking are important risk factors for cancer development. Distant metastases can occur even at the diagnosis stage of cancer patients. Metastases are essential to determine the prognosis according to the type of primary tumor, the characteristics of the tissue or organ in which metastasis is detected, and the location and number of metastases. Anesthesia applications are increasing in patients receiving cancer treatment. While some of these applications are for cancer treatment, some include noncancer surgeries, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and imaging. Multiple anesthesia applications are increasing, especially in pediatric and disabled patient groups. In these groups of patients, changes can develop in organ and system functions that may affect the anesthesia plan and application for many different reasons.