Intensive care for the cancer patient - unique clinical and ethical challenges and outcome prediction in the critically ill cancer patient.

With the rising number of cancer cases and increasing survival times, cancer patients with critical illness are increasingly presenting to the intensive care unit. This article considers the unique challenges they pose in terms of oncological-specific disease processes and treatment and reviews current trends in outcome prediction. We also consider the ethical standpoints surrounding the treatment of patients for whom there may be no cure and their subsequent transition to palliative care, should it become necessary.