Table 1 Main characteristics of the included studies
Author | Year | Country | Study design | Sample size | Prevalence (infection) | Mean age, years (range)† | Biomarkers studied | Underlying cancer | Diagnostic criteria for infection | Inclusion criteria | PCT assays | PCT collection time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vassallo | 2021 | France | RS | 131 | 66.4% | 67.9 (\( \pm \)12.4) | PCT, CRP/PCT | Solid tumors | MDI or CDI | Fever and active solid tumors, with 2 patients with severe neutropenia | Not reported | The day of admission |
Ding | 2020 | China | RS | 588 | 52.9% | 60.6 (\( \pm \)40.0) | PCT, CRP, WBC, NEU, NLR | Lung cancer | MDI (virus, fungus, and parasite excluded) | Lung cancer patients with non-neutropenic fever | Serum level via immunofluorescent assay (COBAS E602 analyzer) | Within 48 h of fever |
Blouin | 2020 | USA | RS | 2031 (episodes) | 16.3% | 62 (19–96) | PCT | Solid and hematologic cancers | BSI | Adult cancer patients with suspected sepsis, non-neutropenic subgroup | Serum level via immunofluorescent assay (VIDAS ® B-R-A-H-M-S PCT ™ (bioMerieux)) | Within 6 days of fever |
Yang | 2019 | Korea | RS | 341 | 5.3% | 53.5 (\( \pm \)12.2) | PCT, CRP | Hematologic cancers | Bacteremia | Patients with hematological malignancies and febrile episode, non-neutropenic subgroup | Serum level via immunofluorescent assay (ADVIA Centaur B.R.A.H.M.S PCT) | Fever within 24 h |
Zhao | 2018 | China | RS | 49 | 44.7% | Median 68 (53–80) | PCT, CRP | NSCLC | BSI | A diagnosis of NSCLC, axillary temperature > 37.5 °C, and the absence of neutropenia | Serum level via immunofluorescent assay (brand name not reported) | NR |
Penel | 2001 | France | PS | 62 | 69.4% | NR | PCT, CRP | Solid tumors | MDI or CDI | Febrile patients with solid tumor and no neutropenia | Serum level via chemoluminescent immunoassay kit (LUMItest; Brahms Diagnostica, Berlin, Germany) | The day of admission |
Kallio | 2000 | Finland | PS | 66 | 84.8% | 57 (\( \pm \)14.8) | PCT, CRP, IL-8 | Solid and hematologic cancers | MDI or CDI | Cancer patients with suspected infection, 7 of whom (11%) have neutropenia | Serum level via chemoluminescent immunoassay kit (LUMItest; Brahms Diagnostica, Berlin, Germany) | The day of admission |