Epiglottitis in immunocompromised patients

Modern medical oncology has made dramatic improvements in the prognosis of many malignancies. Many of the treatment regimens used by the chemotherapist have the potential to profoundly depress the immune system. At UCLA Medical Center, three patients developed epiglottitis secondary to the fungus Candida albicans, while profoundly immunocompromised. All three had severe pain and odynophagia. The patients were all managed medically and none went on to airway obstruction. The natural history of this process is reviewed.