Current strategies for managing myelosuppression in patients with cancer

Myelosuppression in patients with cancer is usually the result of tumor invasion of the bone marrow, cytotoxic chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, all of which suppress bone marrow function. Anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia are the three most clinically significant complications that result from bone marrow depression. Although anemia and thrombocytopenia can produce serious clinical problems, blood-component transfusions--despite having inherent problems of their own--usually are successful in correcting or minimizing these complications. Although neutropenia is manageable in most situations, it remains a serious problem that, at its worst, can progress to life-threatening septicemia. The longer neutrophil counts remain low, the more susceptible patients become to infection by endogenous and exogenous microbial flora. Accordingly, the oncology nurse increases the frequency of patient assessment and monitoring for infection. Control measures are introduced to minimize environmental contaminants. These measures attempt to reduce the incidence of opportunistic infections that frequently occur in patients with severe or prolonged neutropenia and for which antimicrobial therapy is indicated. Implementing specific infection-control interventions and thoroughly educating the patient and his/her family help to limit the clinical problems associated with myelosuppression for most patients.