Acute respiratory failure in the cancer patient: The role of non-invasive mechanical ventilation

The most common cause of ICU admission in patients affected by a hematologic or solid cancer is acute respiratory failure, often associated with a respiratory infection. The prognosis of these critically ill patients is disappointingly low especially if they require endotracheal intubation. In the last 10 years, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV), delivered through a face or nose mask, has been increasingly used as an alternative to invasive ventilation. There is good evidence that, compared to the standard medical therapy alone or with invasive mechanical ventilation, NIV may improve survival and reduce the rate of infectious complications in patients affected by hematologic cancers. Patients with a solid tumor and “reversible” acute respiratory failure are also likely to benefit from NIV, while the use of NIV in palliative care of terminally ill patients still needs to be elucidated. The success of NIV is strictly dependent on its “early” use and on the experience of the staff involved.