Page 191 - Essential Haematology

Chapter 12 Haematological malignancy: management / 177

■ Progress in the treatment of haemopoietic ■ Neutropenic patients who develop a fever
malignancies has been the result of should be treated urgently with broad -
improvements in both supportive therapy spectrum antibiotics.

and specifi c tumour treatments. ■ Herpes viruses are a common cause of

■ Supportive treatments often include: infection in patients who are signifi cantly SUMMARY

insertion of a central venous catheter; immunosuppressed.

appropriate use of red cell and platelet ■ Fungal infections are a major clinical

transfusions; problem for patients undergoing
early administration of drugs to treat chemotherapy. Antifungal drugs may be
infection; used for either prevention or treatment of
optimization of the blood coagulation disease.
system; ■ A wide range of drugs is now available for

drugs to reduce side effects such as the treatment of haemopoietic malignancy:
nausea or pain; alkylating agents;
psychological support. antimetabolites;

■ Gram - positive skin organisms such as anthracyclines;

Staphyloccus are common infections and folate antagonists;
often colonize central venous catheters. signal transduction inhibitors;

■ Gram - negative bacteria are usually derived steroids;

from the gut and can cause severe monoclonal antibodies;
septicaemia. immune modulators;

■ The use of air fi lters, handwashing and proteasome inhibitors; and

antibiotics can reduce infection rates. inhibitors of mitosis.
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