Epidemiology

Febrile neutropenia is the most common life-threatening complication of cancer therapy.

In the US, the incidence of febrile neutropenia is estimated at >100,000 events a year, accounting for 5.2% of all cancer-related hospitalisations.[5] Incidence appears to be highest during the first cycle of chemotherapy, in the elderly (age >65 years), and in those with comorbidities.[6][7][8][9][10]

Febrile neutropenia frequency and mortality are higher in patients with haematological malignancy than those with solid tumours.[11][12] In one retrospective study of adult cancer patients hospitalised with febrile neutropenia between 1995 and 2000, the average inpatient mortality rate associated with febrile neutropenia was 14.3% for those with leukaemia compared with 8.0% for those with solid tumours and 8.9% for those with lymphoma.[12] Robust contemporary data on overall mortality in cancer patients hospitalised with neutropenic fever is lacking, but more recent data from a study of haematological malignancy patients hospitalised with febrile neutropenia and bloodstream infection between 2016 and 2019 suggests mortality may be lower.[13]

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer