Emergency oncology: development, current position and future direction in the USA and UK

The need for supportive and palliative care services in patients with cancer is well established. However, the emerging unique challenges of acutely unwell patients with cancer necessitate the need for research into the optimal strategies and pathways for their management. The clinical challenges of emergency oncology alongside its increasing financial burden have led to an interest as to the best strategies for delivering this care. In the USA and UK, varying models of emergency and acute care are developing. There is a clear need for non-oncology physicians with an interest in the management of oncological emergencies to be at the heart of this work. This paper considers the current situation in the USA and UK and the future directions for the delivery of this care.