title: Utility of blood procalcitonin concentration in the management of cancer patients with infections.
abstract: Diagnosis of infections in cancer patients is usually problematic since differentiating between infection and fever of unknown origin is often a considerable clinical challenge. In general, increase concentration of blood procalcitonin (PCT) is associated with severe bacterial infection. PCT with an optimal cutoff level of 0.5 ng/mL seems to be the most helpful biochemical parameter in detecting severe infections, mainly bloodstream infection, in patients with hematological cancers. In all clinical situations, the elevated level of PCT should be carefully analyzed, always with a thorough physical examination and an appropriate microbiological assessment.
authors: Holy Cross Oncology Center of Kielce, Artwińskiego, Kielce, Poland; Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Microbiology of Infections, The Faculty of Health Sciences of the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Aleja IX Wieków Kielc, Kielce, Poland.
authors: Bonita
authors: B
authors: Durnaś
authors: Holy Cross Oncology Center of Kielce, Artwińskiego, Kielce, Poland.
authors: Marzena
authors: M
authors: Wątek
authors: Holy Cross Oncology Center of Kielce, Artwińskiego, Kielce, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Wollny
authors: Department of Microbiological and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Niemirowicz
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Marzec
authors: Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Microbiology of Infections, The Faculty of Health Sciences of the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Aleja IX Wieków Kielc, Kielce, Poland; Department of Microbiological and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Bucki
authors: Holy Cross Oncology Center of Kielce, Artwińskiego, Kielce, Poland.
authors: Stanisław
authors: S
authors: Góźdź
keywords: cancer; infection; procalcitonin