The role of antibacterial prophylaxis in high-risk neutropenia: benefits, risks, and current perspectives.

Summary: For a long time, doctors gave antibiotics to cancer patients with low white blood cells to prevent infections. This is called prophylaxis. The most common drug used was a fluoroquinolone. Early on, this practice saved lives. But lately, these drugs are not working as well. Bacteria are getting stronger and resisting the medicine. Also, hospitals are much better at treating infections quickly now. Because of side effects and superbugs, doctors are rethinking this practice. They now decide if a patient needs these antibiotics on a case-by-case basis.