Empirical antifungal therapy in febrile neutropenic patients: current status.

Empirical antifungal therapy has become established as standard practice in hematology and oncology units over the past decade and its use is increasing. A number of agents have been evaluated and intravenous amphotericin B has emerged as the drug of choice. Evidence of its benefit is limited and only clearly demonstrated in patients not receiving prior antifungal prophylaxis. However, although there have been improvements in the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections, it has been well shown that many patients who die during periods of neutropenia succumb to undiagnosed fungal infection, and also, if treatment is to be effective, it should be started as soon as possible after the onset of infection. Better targeting of antifungal prophylaxis (or preemptive therapy) and empirical therapy may now be possible and standard empirical therapy needs to be reevaluated in the light of changes in the underlying immune status of neutropenic patients and the development of new antifungal agents for prophylaxis and treatment.