Management of bacterial infectious complications in cancer patients

Serious bacterial infections occur frequently in patients with cancer, both as a result of their underlying disease and its treatment. Several factors increase the risk of bacterial infections, the foremost of which is neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] ≤500 cells/mm³). Neutropenia, however, seldom occurs alone, but is often superimposed on other risk factors, such as impaired humoral or cellular immunity, the presence of foreign medical devices, surgery, radiation, and poor nutrition. Other factors that influence the frequency and spectrum of bacterial infection include the use of antimicrobial prophylaxis, the intensity and nature of chemotherapy, and local institutional epidemiology. This chapter will focus on the management of bacterial infections in cancer patients, including infection prevention, treatment, infection control, and antimicrobial stewardship.