Approach to febrile neutropenia in patients undergoing treatments for hematologic malignancies

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is common among hematologic malignancy patients, including recipients of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy. Prompt empiric antibiotic use has been the mainstay for decades but a “one-size-fits-all” approach is no longer broadly accepted, as treatment-related infectious risk are more understood. Growing antimicrobial resistance is an increasing clinical challenge. Evolving strategies on deescalation of broad-spectrum antibiotics in FN without identified infection are areas of particular interest.