What is the role of interval blood testing in the management of chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the safety of omitting routine interval laboratory assessments, dietary restrictions, and isolation precautions between cycles of chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies.


METHODS
Data were retrospectively obtained from the records of women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancer from July 1999-June 2000. Routine nadir determinations were not performed between treatment cycles; social interaction was encouraged, and pathogen-free diet recommendations were not provided.


RESULTS
Eighty women received 449 cycles of chemotherapy. Four (5%) patients developed neutropenic fevers, and one of these women succumbed to sepsis. Eighteen (22.5%) women had 29 cycles delayed due to persistent myelosuppression when the ensuing chemotherapy infusion was to be administered. Hematopoietic growth factors overcame these delays during subsequent cycles in all but two patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Omitting scheduled interval laboratory monitoring, dietary restrictions, and isolation precautions between chemotherapy cycles is convenient for patients, likely cost-effective, and does not increase morbidity in the gynecologic oncology population.
Cardosi
R J
RJ
University of Florida College of Medicine, Sacred Heart Hospital, Pensacola, Florida, USA.
Fiorica
J V
JV
Grendys
E C
EC
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D005431:Florida; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008499:Medical Records; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors