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Palliative cancer care - dyspnoea - Background information
What are the causes of dyspnoea in people with cancer?
- Dyspnoea can result from impaired ventilation or increased ventilatory demand, or both factors. However, in some people no cause is found, even after thorough assessment [Davis, 1997]. For causes of dyspnoea in people with cancer, see Table 1.
Table 1. Causes of dyspnoea in people with cancer.
Cancer | Indirect effect of cancer | Non-malignant causes |
|---|
Tumour involving lung parenchyma (primary tumour or metastasis) Upper and lower airway obstruction by tumour Lymphangitis carcinomatosa Pleural tumour (mesothelioma) | Pleural effusion Pericardial effusion Phrenic nerve paralysis Tumour microemboli Superior vena cava syndrome Cachexia Anaemia Aspiration Surgery (pneumonectomy or lobectomy) Radiation-induced fibrosis Chemotherapy-induced pneumonitis, fibrosis, cardiomyopathy Pulmonary embolism Respiratory muscle weakness | Pneumonia Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Heart failure Pneumothorax Anxiety Obesity Fever |
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