Background: Management of the hospitalized cancer patient represents unique challenges: delivery of complex, specialized medical management to a growing population, compounded by intense scrutiny of patient preference and goals of care. Historically, these patients have been admitted to a subspecialist’s service, but many institutions have now transitioned to a hospitalist-driven care model. Limited research suggests [...]

Background: Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is a common complication in patients with malignancy. Management of venous thromboembolism (VTE), in these patients, is challenging due to the high risk of recurrence and inherent risk of bleeding in this population. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as a treatment options for CAT. As yet there have not been [...]

Background: Increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been noted among cancer patients as compared to non-cancer. Cancer associated thrombosis caused three folds increased hospitalizations, increased inpatient/outpatient medical and prescription claims, and increased total health care costs per patient. Our objective was to study demographic, clinical and laboratory risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) among [...]

Background: Hospitalists, rather than primary oncologists, are increasingly caring for hospitalized patients with cancer. High medical acuity, complex psycho-social issues, rapidly evolving cancer treatments, advanced care planning, and end-of-life care make management of this patient population especially challenging. The impact of the oncology hospitalist model of care delivery on clinical quality and oncologists’ work satisfaction [...]

Background: The tumor microenvironment and its interaction with the tumor are indicative of disease progression but has not been clinically applied due to the lack of objective assessment criteria. Proximity associated effects of the tumor to its microenvironment which can explain the long-term behavior of tumor remains to be developed. In this work, we utilized [...]

Background: Cancer screening guidelines based on age, biological sex, and degree of risk are intended to diagnose malignancies early and in the outpatient setting. Despite these efforts, malignancies are often diagnosed while patients are admitted to the hospital. These diagnoses are made either incidentally or after the onset of a clinical condition that necessitates an [...]

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a major life-threatening oncological emergency where accelerated damage of rapidly proliferating tumor cells results in critical metabolic derangements including hyperuricemia, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia potentially leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) and multi-organ failure. TLS has been well documented in hematologic malignancies but is extremely rare in solid neoplasms, [...]

Case Presentation: A 51 year old female recently diagnosed with metastatic goblet cell carcinoid mixed adenocarcinoma of the appendix with metastasis to the peritoneum, mesentery, small and large bowel status post ileo-cecectomy and ileostomy presented with acute onset anxiety and mania. Patient presented with a two-day history of decreased sleep, flight of ideas and increased [...]

Case Presentation: A 65-year-old man with a past medical history of gout and chronic pancreatitis complicated by pseudocyst presented with bilateral lower leg swelling, erythema, and pain for few weeks. The rash was also associated with bilateral lower extremity nodules that would spontaneously open and discharge white material. He was seen and treated in the [...]

Case Presentation: This patient was a 44-year-old female with a past medical history of localized scleroderma (morphea) of the breast diagnosed by punch biopsy. She presented to the emergency department with right upper quadrant pain and nausea. At that time, a CT scan showed a heterogeneous liver without a definitive underlying mass. Her workup revealed [...]