Adjuvant chemotherapy-associated febrile neutropenia in a patient with breast malignancy: A case report
Adjuvant chemotherapy has been widely applied in patients with breast malignancy after surgery to prevent its recurrence and to improve survival comprehensively. Febrile neutropenia is one of the most life-threatening chemotherapy-associated toxicities. A 66 years old woman came to an emergency depa...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Faculty of Medicine
2020-08-01
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| Series: | JKKI (Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan Indonesia) |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.uii.ac.id/JKKI/article/view/13791 |
| Summary: | Adjuvant chemotherapy has been widely applied in patients with breast malignancy after surgery to prevent its recurrence and to improve survival comprehensively. Febrile neutropenia is one of the most life-threatening chemotherapy-associated toxicities. A 66 years old woman came to an emergency department of a secondary healthcare facility one week after her final chemotherapy with dose regimen of docetaxel and epirubicin, followed by having nausea, vomitus, and general fatigue with a fever of 38.2°C. Based on her medical record, she had experienced breast malignancy for almost two years and had already conducted mastectomy three months after her diagnosis. Her leukocyte number was only 300 cells per mm3, with 23% neutrophil, hypoalbuminemia, and hypokalaemia. She was then treated in an internal ward and was given intravenous ceftazidime, fluid, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, albumin transfusion, intravenous potassium replacement, and symptomatic medication. After two days of inpatient care, she was referred to an oncology team in a tertiary healthcare facility. Febrile neutropenia is considered as a fever with a low neutrophil number as a result of bone marrow suppression. The neutrophil plays an essential role as the body’s first line of defence. This condition could make the patient more vulnerable to infections. The Patient was given broad-spectrum antibiotics and typically hospitalized to allow close monitoring until the neutropenia was resolved. Febrile neutropenia possesses a serious threat to patients with breast malignancy who are on cytotoxic chemotherapy. Urgent full blood count and immediate broad-spectrum antibiotic administration are significant to reduce morbidity and mortality. |
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| ISSN: | 2085-4145 2527-2950 |