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Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 5/2007

01-05-2007 | Review Article

Risk-adapted strategy for the management of febrile neutropenia in cancer patients

Authors: Jean Klastersky, Marianne Paesmans, Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 5/2007

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Abstract

Background

Among patients who develop fever and neutropenia after having received cancer chemotherapy, we have to distinguish at least three categories of risk levels for complications and death: patients at low risk and eligible for oral treatment and possibly outpatient management, patients at low risk who require intravenous therapy, and patients at higher risk.

Results and discussion

The Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer scoring system identifies patients at low risk (<5%) of severe complications with very low mortality (<1%) during an episode of febrile neutropenia; this group represents roughly 70% of an unselected population of patients with febrile neutropenia. A significant percentage (≈50%) of these patients are eligible for treatment with orally administered antibiotics and can be discharged early and safely from the hospital after a short (24–48 h) observation period.
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Metadata
Title
Risk-adapted strategy for the management of febrile neutropenia in cancer patients
Authors
Jean Klastersky
Marianne Paesmans
Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles
Publication date
01-05-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 5/2007
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-006-0185-8

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