Necrotizing gas-forming infections in cancer patients

Necrotizing gas-forming infections in cancer patients present some unique characteristics, such as nontraumatic, spontaneous clostridial gangrene and gangrene involving an ischemic tumor mass. These infections can be rapidly progressive and uniformly fatal without surgical debridement. We review ten cases of gas gangrene seen during an 18-year period. Four were caused by Clostridium species and six by other organisms. Neutropenia was present in seven patients. During the last nine years, Clostridium septicemia occurred in 54 patients; in only two of those patients did gas gangrene ensue.