Febrile neutropenia

Febrile neutropenia is a potentially dangerous and serious health concern that occurs when the patient has two conditions: a fever ("febrile") and a low number of white blood cells known as neutrophils in their blood ("neutropenia"). Neutrophils are responsible for fighting infections in the body, so having too few of them in the blood means the patient is more vulnerable to potentially dangerous infections.

It is not an uncommon condition among cancer patients, as treatment can often kill off neutrophils. As one of chemotherapy's side effects, the suppression of one's bone marrow is the result of febrile neutropenia.

Fevers

When a cancer patient has febrile neutropenia, the source or cause of the fever needs to be determined by a doctor, especially if the onset is rapid. If an infection, doctors need to determine the location of the infection, and often cancer patients experiencing fevers who visit a health care facility may be admitted in order to find the cause of the infection.

A fever is not necessary in order for a patient to be short on neutrophils and be under threat of infection.

Neutropenia

Doctors define true neutropenia in terms of what is known as the absolute neutrophil count (ANC).

They calculate the ANC by multiplying the total white blood cell (WBC) count by the percentage of neutrophils in the complete blood count (CBC). Depending on the count, neutropenia can be classified as either mild, moderate or severe. The more severe the neutropenia, and the longer duration of time it remains manifest, the greater the risk of a dangerous bacterial infection.

Risk of Febrile Neutropenia

Although an exact figure is impossible to know, it is conservatively estimated that approximately ten to twenty percent of patients receiving chemotherapy will develop febrile neutropenia.

There are risk factors associated with the condition, such as:

-- Age (the risk increases with age, especially among those over the age of 65)
-- Stage of disease (advanced stage raises risk)
-- Presence of comorbidities (other, independent illnesses that complicate treatment)
-- Hematological cancers (such as leukemia or lymphoma)

Prognosis

The prognosis of a patient suffering from febrile neutropenia depends on the source of the infection, the duration (meaning how long it persists), and the severity of the neutropenia.

The overall mortality rate among cancer patients with febrile neutropenia is not well known, but is estimated to be anywhere from four to 30 percent.

Typically, the condition is treated with antibiotics.

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