Utility of blood procalcitonin concentration in the management of cancer patients with infections

Abstract

Bonita Durnaś,1,2 Marzena Wątek,1 Tomasz Wollny,1 Katarzyna Niemirowicz,3 Michał Marzec,4 Robert Bucki,2,3 Stanisław Góźdź1 1Holy Cross Oncology Center of Kielce, Artwinskiego, Kielce, Poland; 2Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Microbiology of Infections, The Faculty of Health Sciences of the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Aleja IX Wieków Kielc, Kielce, Poland; 3Department of Microbiological and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 4Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract: Diagnosis of infections in cancer patients is usually problematic since differentiating between infection and fever of unknown origin is often a considerable clinical challenge. In general, increase concentration of blood procalcitonin (PCT) is associated with severe bacterial infection. PCT with an optimal cutoff level of 0.5 ng/mL seems to be the most helpful biochemical parameter in detecting severe infections, mainly bloodstream infection, in patients with hematological cancers. In all clinical situations, the elevated level of PCT should be carefully analyzed, always with a thorough physical examination and an appropriate microbiological assessment. Keywords: procalcitonin, cancer, infection

Keywords

• procalcitonin
• cancer
• infection