Guías de recomendaciones sobre diagnóstico, tratamiento y prevención de infecciones en pacientes con cáncer 2013

Cancer patients pose an increased risk of infectious complications due to their underlying disease and its treatment. The present guidelines, developed by the Commission of Infections in the Immunocompromised Host of the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases are an updated version of those published in 2008. For the elaboration of these guidelines, both the scientific evidence and the local experience were thoroughly evaluated. This Consensus includes an overview of the risk factors and the epidemiology of infections in both adult and pediatric cancer patients. It deals with the management of the febrile neutropenic patient, the risk categorization, the initial empirical therapy in the multiresistant era and its subsequent management. It includes a section dedicated to the antifungal empirical and directed therapy as well as the diagnosis and treatment of the most frequent fungal infections. Prevention strategies, both general and for high-risk patients, including those receiving biologic response modifiers, are herein shown. These guidelines should be applied in conjunction with a careful clinical evaluation and taking into account local epidemiological factors.