Work

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in critically ill cancer patients: Hemodynamic consequences and multimodal assessment strategies

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: In critically ill cancer patients, autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction may contribute to hemodynamic instability and organ dysfunction and may be exacerbated by malignancy-related injury and anticancer treatment. This narrative review summarizes conventional methods for assessing ANS function, including heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), and cardiovascular autonomic reflex testing, together with emerging approaches such as high-resolution multimodal monitoring (MMM) and artificial intelligence (AI). Host-organ unregulated response (HOUR) framework is used to integrate interactions among autonomic, neuroendocrine, inflammatory, immune, coagulation, metabolic, bioenergetic, and microcirculatory dysregulation. Collectively, these approaches may facilitate real-time assessment of autonomic function and tissue perfusion, thereby supporting risk stratification and individualized management in critically ill cancer patients.

Source: Cancer Pathogenesis and Therapy

DOI: 10.1016/j.cpt.2026.08.001

Authors: Shiyi Gong, Yun Chu, Xiaoting Wang

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control

Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,100