Critical care issues in the patient with hematologic malignancy

Patients with lymphomas, multiple myeloma, and leukemia are often at risk for life-threatening complications. Complications include viral infections (eg, herpes zoster, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus) and hemolytic anemia, which are related to the hematologic origin of the malignancy. Life-threatening disorders related to amount of tumor burden are leukostasis and hyperviscosity. Complications related to therapy include pulmonary capillary leak syndrome and tumor lysis syndrome. Good assessment skills assist in early identification of individuals at risk and initiation of preventive measures.