oncological emergency

Cancer and its treatment may lead to a range of potentially life-threatening conditions that require urgent action to correct them.

Most oncological emergencies can be classified as metabolic, haematological, structural, or treatment-related

Febrile neutropenia is most often seen as an effect of cytotoxic therapy. The neutrophil count usually reaches its lowest level 5 to 10 days after the last dose of chemotherapy.

Febrile neutropenia is defined as an oral temperature ≥38.5°C or two consecutive readings of ≥38.0°C for two hours and an absolute neutrophil count ≤0.5 x 109/L.

Up to 80% of patients receiving chemotherapy for haematological malignancies will develop neutropenic fever at least once during the course of therapy. Patients with solid tumors are reported to develop neutropenic fever at a rate of 10-50% during the course of chemotherapy. The likelihood of fever increases with the duration and the severity of neutropenia as well as the rate of decline of the absolute neutrophil count