Managing complications of cancer and its treatment in palliative care

Cancer or its treatment can cause complications. The frequency of these complications depends on many factors, including the location and type of cancer and types of treatment used. These guidelines provide advice on managing complications of cancer, including:

• acute airway obstruction, including upper and central airway obstruction
• chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
• cutaneous malignant wounds
• haematuria
• disseminated intravascular coagulopathy
• itch associated with cancer
• leptomeningeal disease
• febrile neutropenia
• skin reactions from cancer treatment
• pain associated with bone metastases
• pain associated with peritumour oedema and inflammation
• paraneoplastic syndromes—any unexpected metabolic, endocrine, autonomic, neurological, mucocutaneous or haematological condition should raise the suspicion of a paraneoplastic syndrome
• spinal cord compression
• superior vena cava obstruction.