Infection remains a major complication in patients with malignant disease. There are many
factors predisposing to infection in this patient population, including local factors due to the
tumor, specific deficiencies in host defense mechanisms, due to certain malignant
processes, and deficiencies in host defense mechanisms secondary to cancer
chemotherapy. Neutropenia is probably the most important factor predisposing to infection in
cancer patients. These patients require prompt broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy when fever …