Infection in the Cancer Patient A Practical Guide

Infection in the cancer patient is extremely common, either precipitatedby the cancer itself or occuring as a consequence of cancer therapies. Virtuallyall cancer patients develop an infection during their illness, many of which arelife-threatening and require urgent treatment. There are also the wider healthimplications of antibiotic resistance and hospital acquired infections. Thisbook provides a practical guide to all the infections a practising clinician andmembers of the multi-disciplinary team will meet in their care of a cancerpatient.An overview of the problem of infection in the cancer patient is provided,covering the immunology of cancer and the infection sequelae. This is thendeveloped by site specific chapters, each describing the organisms responsiblefor the infection, its presentation, appropriate investigations, and finallymanagement advice. Unique groups explored include viral infections such as HIVand infections in paediatrics. Infections in end of life care are specificallyaddressed.Written by an international team of contributors recognised in their field, thisbook is the first to concentrate on what is a major issue for anyone involved inthe care of the oncology patient.

Professor Spence is Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ulster, and is currently an Examiner in the Intercollegiate MRCS and FRCS in General Surgery. He is a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Dr Johnston was a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the USA from 1987-1996. He sits on several national and international scientific boards and is on the editorial boards of several leading international oncology journals, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Clinical Cancer Research, The Oncologist, Clinical Colorectal Cancer and PLoS Medicine. Professor Hay was Sub-Editor on the Journal of Infection, 1994-2004, and Editor of Clin Exper. Dermatol 1998-1992. He is Past President of the British Association of Dermatologists, the British Society of Mycology, and the European Confederation of Medical Mycology, as well as board member of various associated organisations.