Systemic fungal infection following effective pain relief with high-dose steroid therapy for terminal cancer pain: A case report

Choi, Yi Hwa; Chang, Dong Jin; Joo, Sung Min; Lee, Soo Kyung; Kang, Mae Hwa; Park, Eun Young

doi:2015.10.1.61

Anesth Pain Med > Volume 10(1); 2015 > Article

Case Report

General Article

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2015;10(1):61-63.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17085/apm.2015.10.1.61 Published online January 31, 2015.

Systemic fungal infection following effective pain relief with high-dose steroid therapy for terminal cancer pain: A case report

Yi Hwa Choi, Dong Jin Chang, Sung Min Joo, Soo Kyung Lee, Mae Hwa Kang, Eun Young Park

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. djchang@hallym.or.kr

Received: 28 July 2014 • Revised: 19 August 2014 • Accepted: 20 September 2014

Abstract

High-dose steroid therapy is known as effective adjuvant therapy for refractory bone pain due to metastasis of solid cancer. However, the standard dose and duration have not been established to date. Long term maintenance with steroid therapy is not encouraged due to its potential adverse effects. Here, we report a case of a terminal cancer patient who maintained high dose steroid therapy to alleviate refractory bone pain with complication of systemic fungal infection.

Key Words: Candida, Pain, Steroids