The Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) define adverse events following cancer therapy. It was designed for use in clinical trials of different therapeutic regimens. Criteria are given for the severity of infection or febrile neutropenia as a result of the cancer therapy.
Types of infectious complications:
(1) catheter-related
(2) with neutropenia
(3) without neutropenia
(4) with unknown neutrophil count
(5) other infection, not otherwise specified (NOS)
Types of febrile complications when infection has not been documented:
(1) febrile neutropenia
(2) hypothermic neutropenia: This is listed under febrile neutropenia in the Tables.
Grade 0: none of the findings present
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Grade |
|
catheter-related infection |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild |
1 |
|
|
moderate |
2 |
|
|
severe |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
infection with neutropenia |
none |
0 |
|
|
present |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
infection without neutropenia |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild |
1 |
|
|
moderate |
2 |
|
|
severe |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
infection with unknown neutrophil count |
none |
0 |
|
|
present |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
infection, NOS |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild |
1 |
|
|
moderate |
2 |
|
|
severe |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
febrile neutropenia |
none |
0 |
|
|
present |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
|
hypothermic neutropenia |
none |
0 |
|
|
present |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening sepsis, septic shock |
4 |
where:
• An infection may be documented based on clinical and/or microbiologic findings.
• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) = (white blood cell count per L) * (percent neutrophils in differential count as a whole number) / 100
• Neutropenia = ANC < 1 * 10^9/L (or < 1,000 per µL)
• Febrile indicates a core body temperature >= 38.5°C (101.3°F).
• Hypothermia: not specified in the tables; according to Harrison's Textbook of Medicine it is as a core body temperature <= 35°C (95°F).
• The temperature values for neonates are not given in the tables but need to be checked on.
• Mild infection: no active treatment required.
• Moderate infection: localized, requiring local or oral treatment
• Severe infection: systemic infection requiring intravenous antibiotics, antifungal therapy, or hospitalization.
Specialty: Hematology Oncology
