From the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Authors’ disclosures of potential conflicts of interest are found at the end of this article.
Address reprint requests to Mary K. Buss, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02115; e-mail: mbuss{at}bidmc.harvard.edu
Overview: Dyspnea, an uncomfortable awareness of breathing, is a frequent and disturbing symptom for many patients with cancer. Over half of patients with advanced cancer experience difficulty with breathing, and for most of these patients, dyspnea impairs daily activities. Despite the prevalence and the severity of distress it causes, dyspnea is frequently under-recognized and under-treated. This article provides insight into common shortcomings of dyspnea assessment and reviews the evidence on the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of dyspnea in patients with cancer. The data supporting the use of pleurodesis and pleural catheters for dyspnea attributable to pleural effusions are also highlighted.
