Distribution of Oncological Diagnoses in Pediatric Patients With Febrile Neutropenia and Sepsis: Is There an Association?

Infections are a major complication in pediatric oncology, with patients at increased risk due to chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and compromised immune status. This retrospective study, conducted between 2018 and 2022 at the "Maria Sklodowska Curie" Children's Emergency Clinical Hospital in Bucharest, evaluated 150 episodes of fever and sepsis in 94 pediatric oncology patients. The results revealed significant differences between the groups analyzed: children with central nervous system tumors had a higher frequency of sepsis (p = 0.03), while patients with leukemia and lymphoma had the longest intervals between treatment initiation and fever onset. Also, profound neutropenia was more pronounced in patients with lymphomas (median neutrophil count = 0.18, p = 0.003). These results emphasize the need for personalized monitoring of infectious risk and adaptation of prophylaxis strategies according to the type of malignancy. In conclusion, the obtained data contribute to substantiating an individualized approach in the management of fever and sepsis in pediatric oncology patients.