Prophylaxis with ofloxacin in patients with cancer and neutropenia.

The suppression of potentially pathogenic microorganisms using prophylactic antibacterial treatment could eventually protect the patient from infection. Oral absorbable and non-absorbable antibacterial agents have been used with variable results. In the present study, 47 patients with cancer and neutropenia received oral ofloxacin 200 mg twice daily prophylactically. All patients were previously treated with antineoplastic chemotherapy. Septicemia developed in ten patients (21%). The number of infections was higher in patients with a level of granulocytopenia under 0.5 x 10(9)/1. Infection was caused in almost all patients by gram-positive organisms. Prophylaxis with ofloxacin provided efficacious protection against gram-negative bacteria and was well tolerated.