End-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients can develop cancer before or after kidney disease occurs. Cancer chemotherapy often needs to be administered via the sort of central venous catheter that is normally avoided in ESRF care. Three cases are presented in which ESRF patients received chemotherapy for cancer via existing hemodialysis fistulas, and the consequences of central venous access in a fourth patient are discussed.
BlasA3rd, McGillR., SandroniS.. Case 4-2002: Cancer-associated obstruction and glomerular damage.N Engl J Med2002; 346: 1751–2.
5.
KianiA., KohneC.H., FranzT.Pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine in patients with end-stage renal disease: effective clearance of its main metabolite by standard hemodialysis treatment.Cancer Chemother Pharmacol2003; 51: 266–70.
6.
KrpanD., DemarinV., ProtF., MilutinovicS., MolnarV., MilutnovicE.. Measurement of blood flow through AV-fistulas by means of Doppler sonography in regularly haemodialysed patients.Int J Artif Organs1991; 14: 78–82.
7.
McGillR.L., MarcusR.J., HealyD.A., BrouwerD.J., SmithB.C., SandroniS.E.. AV fistula rates: changing the culture of vascular access.The Journal of Vascular Access2005; 6: 13–7.
