Fever and Infection

Abstract

Despite recent advances in cancer chemotherapy and supportive care, infection is a frequent cause of morbidity and death in patients with cancer, especially those with hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma. The frequency and types of infection that occur in patients with cancer depend on the underlying malignancy, the status of the bone marrow, and the status of humoral and cellular immunity. The therapy itself, including drugs, surgery, and radiation, also produces alterations in host defenses and may contribute to the overall risk of infection (Table 1).1