Delirium in adult cancer patients: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines

Abstract

Delirium is a neurocognitive syndrome that commonly occurs in older populations and people with cancer, particularly in those with advanced disease and in the last hours or days of life. While an underlying malignancy and its complications predispose a person to develop delirium, many of the treatments used in the management of cancer also increase the risk of delirium [1]. In addition to being associated with an increased risk of mortality and causing significant physical morbidity, delirium is often a severely distressing experience, not only for patients, but also for families and professional caregivers [1].

The target population for this European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) is adults with cancer who are at risk of delirium or have been diagnosed with delirium. The intended users for this CPG are healthcare professionals working in the field of oncology, in order to inform both clinical decisions and standards of care.