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Review
. 2016 Nov;54(11):2635-2646.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.00604-16. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Infections in Cancer Patients: Challenges and Opportunities

N Esther Babady  1
Affiliations
Review

Laboratory Diagnosis of Infections in Cancer Patients: Challenges and Opportunities

N Esther Babady. J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Nov.

Abstract

Infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The differential diagnosis for these patients is often wide, and the timely selection of the right clinical tests can have a significant impact on their survival. However, laboratory findings with current methodologies are often negative, challenging clinicians and laboratorians to continue the search for the responsible pathogen. Novel methodologies are providing increased sensitivity and rapid turnaround time to results but also challenging our interpretation of what is a clinically significant pathogen in cancer patients. This minireview provides an overview of the most common infections in cancer patients and discusses some of the challenges and opportunities for the clinical microbiologist supporting the care of cancer patients.

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Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Timing of the most common infections in HSCT recipients and cancer patients.
None
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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