title: Infectious complications in breast cancer patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: a single center retrospective analysis towards outpatient strategy.
abstract: Infectious complications were retrospectively analyzed in 129 transplants, performed in 90 patients, to identify characteristics that qualify breast cancer patients for outpatient-based PBSCT. Thirty-one cases (24%) did not develop fever. Of the remaining 98 cases, 84.7% developed fever during severe neutropenia. On univariate analysis, disease stages II-III, first PBSCT, mucositis grades II-IV and the use of two alkylators were associated with a higher risk of fever development. The latter two factors also affected fever occurrence on multivariate analysis. A longer median time to fever onset was observed in patients conditioned with single as compared to double alkylating agent-containing regimens (respectively 8th vs 6th day, P < 0.00001). As compared with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), high risk breast cancer showed a 2.3-fold increased risk of developing early fever during neutropenia (CI 2.3-3.8), remaining the only variable still significant on multivariate analysis (P = 0.0039). Combination antibiotic therapy was equivalent to single agent therapy. Patients suffering from microbiologically documented fever were at higher risk of undergoing second-line antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, MBC patients treated with a conditioning regimen containing only one alkylating agent and adequate prophylaxis for mucositis may qualify for outpatient-based PBSCT on the basis of a lower risk of infection.
authors.affiliation: Centro Trapianti di Midollo Osseo, Azienda Ospedaliera Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Irrera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Console
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iacopino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007249:Inflammation; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D043823:Taxoids; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D013852:Thiotepa; D016190:Carboplatin; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D017239:Paclitaxel; D008558:Melphalan