Ceftizoxime in the treatment of infections in patients with cancer

One hundred and twenty-three episodes of infections in cancer patients with adequate neutrophil counts were treated with ceftizoxime (low dose: 1 g iv every 4 h, and high dose: 2g iv every 4h) for a minimum of 7 days or until 4 days after the patient became afebrile. One hundred and fourteen episodes in 105 patients were evaluated. The overall response rate in 68 patients with documented infection treated with low dose ceftizoxime was 50% whether or not an organism could be obtained. Twenty of 25 patients (80%) with fever of unknown origin (FUO) also responded to low dose ceftizoxime. The overall response rate in 82 episodes of infection treated with high dose ceftizoxime was 62% in proven infections, 59% when no organism could be found. Six of seven patients with FUO (86%) responded. Overall response rate in Gram-positive infections was 75%; in Gram-negative infections was 70%. Rate of superinfection was low (6%). Response rate in one-organism infections was 73%; in polymicrobial infections was 50%.