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Table 4 Unanswered questions and research agenda

From: Intensive care of the cancer patient: recent achievements and remaining challenges

1) Establishing long-term outcomes in oncology and hematology patients who survive their ICU stay. Do we prolong the dying process or do we actually increase survival?

2) Addressing qualitative outcomes

3) Searching for specific family needs and communication strategies

4) Evaluating new admission policies

5) Improving transition from curative to palliative care

6) Evaluating the impact of the ICU on overall long-term and disease-free survival

7) Defining the appropriate timing for ICU admission (avoiding delays)

8) Appraising prognostic factors of mortality

9) Evaluating outcomes in patients who receive intensive care (e.g., NIV, vasopressor) in the wards

10) Performing qualitative studies before any recommendation on the use of NIV as the ceiling of therapy