Acute leukemias and complicated lymphomas: pearls to optimize management when patients stay local

Abstract

Hematologic malignancies often present acutely with a constellation of infectious complications, pancytopenia, tumor lysis, and renal dysfunction. Acute leukemias and aggressive lymphomas often require hospitalization for rapid diagnostic evaluation, urgent management of complicating presentations, and timely management of intensive systemic therapies. There is an emerging paradigm whereby complex cancer care can be safely and effectively provided in the community, where the majority of cancer is treated. A substantive and effective network between local oncologists and their academic counterparts will enhance care for the patient, advance research, and help bring complicated therapies to local centers, thereby improving access. Here we present several cases that highlight a collaborative approach to complicated hematologic malignancies in the community.