About us
About the Onco Critical Care Society (OCCS)
Cancer incidence is rising exponentially across the globe, driven by factors ranging from lifestyle changes to advancements in diagnostic modalities. While cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, tremendous progress in oncology over recent decades has significantly increased life expectancy for patients. This success has given rise to a new and critical medical challenge: caring for the oncological patient in crisis.
Critically ill cancer patients represent a unique and vulnerable population within the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Their needs are profoundly different from those of other critically ill patients. They are often immunocompromised due to their disease or its treatment, may be recovering from extensive radical surgeries, and frequently face suboptimal nutritional status. The journey through cancer care—marked by chronic pain, anxiety, and prolonged medical treatment—can leave patients and their families emotionally and financially exhausted. Some patients, including those on palliative care pathways with limited life expectancy, may also refuse certain invasive monitoring or therapeutic procedures commonly used in the ICU.
These complexities demand a specialized, nuanced, and compassionate approach to critical care.
The Onco Critical Care Society (OCCS) was founded on the imperative to address this very need. We are a dedicated community of healthcare professionals committed to redefining critical care for oncology patients.
Our mission is twofold:
To Advance the Science
We promote and disseminate cutting-edge research specifically focused on the pathophysiology and evidence-based management of critical illness in cancer patients.
To Empower the Provider
We are devoted to educating and training a new generation of intensivists, oncologists, and multidisciplinary team members. We provide them with the specialized knowledge, skills, and protocols required to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care in the onco-critical care setting.
Through collaboration, innovation, and education, the OCCS strives to improve survival rates, enhance the quality of life, and ensure that the care provided to every critically ill cancer patient is as unique and complex as the disease they fight.