10522 Sepsis Challenges Magnified in Oncology

Course overview

Discussion of challenges posed by sepsis in oncology patients, including a comparison between historical versus new states of knowledge regarding sepsis, differences between sepsis and neutropenic sepsis pathobiology, and clinical management of sepsis including laboratory tests. Management of sepsis is a major challenge in hospitals globally, where it is one of the leading causes of death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 1.7 million adults in the U.S. develop sepsis annually, and approximately 270,000 of these cases are fatal. The risk of developing sepsis is increased ten times for patients who have any type of cancer, and more than one in five hospitalizations for sepsis are cancer-related. Individuals with cancer are susceptible to developing sepsis for multiple reasons, such as frequent hospital stays, surgical and medical procedures, and weakened immune systems. In addition, when oncology patients are receiving chemotherapeutic agents, neutropenia commonly occurs, predisposing patients to infection, which may eventually lead to sepsis. Early recognition and prompt treatment of sepsis remain the critical foundation in reducing the burden of sepsis-related hospitalization. This program discusses new recommendations related to sepsis diagnosis, and challenges related to diagnosis, prevention, and management of neutropenic sepsis in oncologic patients.