Causes of Dysnatremia in Cancer Patients: A Review
Daniela Rădulescu *
Clinical Department no.3, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Carol Davila, Bucharest, Eroii Sanitari 8, Bucharest, 050474, Romania and Nephrology and Dialysis Department, Clinical Emergency Hospital , Sf. Ioan, Bucharest, Vitan Barzesti 13, Bucharest, 042122, Romania.
Ileana Adela Văcăroiu
Clinical Department no.3, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Carol Davila, Bucharest, Eroii Sanitari 8, Bucharest, 050474, Romania and Nephrology and Dialysis Department, Clinical Emergency Hospital , Sf. Ioan, Bucharest, Vitan Barzesti 13, Bucharest, 042122, Romania.
Flavia Liliana Turcu
Clinical Department no.3, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Carol Davila, Bucharest, Eroii Sanitari 8, Bucharest, 050474, Romania and Nephrology and Dialysis Department, Clinical Emergency Hospital , Sf. Ioan, Bucharest, Vitan Barzesti 13, Bucharest, 042122, Romania.
Carmen Bogeanu
Clinical Department no.3, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Carol Davila, Bucharest, Eroii Sanitari 8, Bucharest, 050474, Romania and Nephrology and Dialysis Department, Clinical Emergency Hospital , Sf. Ioan, Bucharest, Vitan Barzesti 13, Bucharest, 042122, Romania.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Dysnatremias occur with high incidence in cancer patients and have negative impact on quality of life, survival, hospitalization length. Both cancer and its therapy are responsible; coexisting comorbidities may also be involved. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder and is usually multifactorial. Hypernatremia, although more rare, is associated with poorer outcome. Diagnosis of true dysnatremias may be a challenge in patients with active cancer, as they must be often differentiated from spurious dysnatremias. Assessing the extracellular volume is the first step for establishing the cause of a dysnatremia; as such hypovolemic, euvolemic and hypervolemic dysnatremias have distinct etiology. The present article briefly reviews cancer-specific and treatment-specific causes of dysnatremias.
Keywords: Cancer, cancer therapies, hyponatremia, hypernatremia, pseudodysnatremias, extracellular volume status, kidney dysfunction