Summary

• Defined as a fever >38°C (>101°F) for 1 hour, with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of ≤500 cells/microlitre, or an ANC ≤1000 cells/microlitre with a projected nadir of ≤500 cells/microlitre.
• It is the most common life-threatening complication of cancer therapy and is an oncological emergency.
• Empirical antibiotic therapy upon presentation has dramatically improved outcomes and decreased mortality from febrile neutropenia.
• A causative organism is only identified one third of the time, and therefore antibiotics are aimed at treating a broad spectrum of pathogens.
• Due to an inability to mount an inflammatory response, many patients with febrile neutropenia do not demonstrate localising signs or symptoms other than fever.
• Prophylactic antibiotics and growth factor support at the onset of neutropenia have only been shown to benefit a small subgroup of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.