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Abstract Neutropenia (from Latin prefix neutro- and Greek suffix -πενία deficiency). Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is not only a major risk factor for infection-related morbidity and mortality, but is also a significant dose-limiting toxicity in cancer treatment. Fever is defined as a single oral temperature of 38.3°C (101°F) or a temperature of 38.0°C (100.4°F) for 1h. Neutropenia is defined as a neutrophil count of <500 cells/mm³, or a count of <1000 cells/mm³ with a predicted decrease to<500 cells/mm³. The recognition of a low-risk subset has simplified management i.e. oral outpatient therapy of such patients. Conversely, the numbers of high-risk patients has actually increased as a result of widespread use of intensive chemotherapy and or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, producing severe and prolonged myelosuppression. These patients still need immediate and a more directed approach to therapy in a hospital-based setting and this shall lead to decreased morbidity and mortality. |