ABSTRACT
ALAN D. VALENTINE and JACQUELINE BICKHAM
Department of Neuro-Oncology (Psychiatry Section), The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
I. INTRODUCTION
Delirium is a common and serious complication of perioperative and intensive care of cancer patients (1,2). It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, as well as increased length and cost of hospital stay (3-5). It is a variable with potential impact on long-term disposition of patients who survive hospitalization. The unexpected development of delirium is often very frightening for family members, even more so than the malignancy itself (6).
