Antibiotic Selection in the Treatment of Febrile Neutropenia: Current Approach and New Directions

The combination of neutropenia and fever, with or without documented infection is a common complication in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The prompt institution of empirical broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy for febrile neutropenic patients has been shown to reduce the rate of early death and morbidity in cancer populations undergoing chemotherapy. Three different regimens for consideration as initial empiric therapy are presented. Alternatives such as outpatient regimens to low risk patients and monotherapy are discussed. If confirmed prospectively, the results presented here may enable clinicians to identify low risk groups and treat neutropenia and fever with good results and better economic and psychological cost.