The efficacy and safety of cefepime or meropenem in the treatment of febrile neutropenia in patients with lung cancer. A randomized phase II study

Febrile neutropenia frequently develops after chemotherapy. There is little evidence to indicate the type of antimicrobial agents that should be used in the treatment of febrile neutropenia in patients with solid tumors. The objective is to determine the efficacy and safety of cefepime (CFPM) and meropenem (MEPM) in the treatment of febrile neutropenia in lung cancer patients in a prospective randomized study. FN patients with lung cancer were randomly divided into CFPM or MEPM groups. The primary end-point was the response rate. The secondary end-points were the defervescence rates at 72 h, 7 days, 14 days and the incidence of adverse events. Twenty-one patients were treated with CFPM and 24 patients were treated with MEPM. One patient died of FN. The CFPM treatment completion rate was 17.65% (95% CI; 0.00–35.77%), while the MEPM treatment completion rate was 38.10% (95% CI; 17.33–58.87%). The defervescence rates at 72 h, 7 days, and 14 days were 70.59%, 86.67%, and 100.00%, respectively in the CFPM group; and 65.00%, 84.21%, and 92.31% in the MEPM group. Adverse events were observed in 33.33% of the CFPM group and 45.83% of the MEPM group. The response rate of the CFPM group was 94.12% (95% CI; 73.02–98.95%), while that of the MEPM group was 85.71% (95% CI; 65.36–95.02%). No differences were found in the efficacy or safety of CFPM and MEPM in the treatment of febrile neutropenia in patients with lung cancer.