1. Oncology (Williston Park). 2012 Jun;26(6):572-5, 580, 582 passim.

The neutropenic diet reviewed: moving toward a safe food handling approach.

Fox N(1), Freifeld AG.

Author information:
(1)The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5400, USA.

Comment in
Oncology (Williston Park). 2012 Jun;26(6):585-6.
Oncology (Williston Park). 2012 Jun;26(6):586, 588-9.

For decades, the concept of a neutropenic diet has implied a strict limitation
of foods allowed for consumption, as a presumptive means of reducing the risk of
infection in cancer patients. The rationale was to limit the introduction of
potentially harmful bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract by the restriction
of certain foods that might harbor those organisms. However, this concept has
not been substantiated with direct proof, and no universal definition of the
neutropenic diet exists. Exactly which foods are restricted varies greatly by
institution, but most notable is the restriction of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Research evaluating potential benefits of a neutropenic diet is very limited,
but the diet is still prescribed in many institutions with the hope that it will
prevent foodborne infection and/or bacteremia in neutropenic patients. Review of
the pathophysiology of foodborne illness and pertinent studies about the
neutropenic diet lead to the conclusion that there is no clear benefit from the
longstanding dietary restrictions that may be imposed during neutropenia.
Instead, we propose adoption of standard safe food handling methods to allow for
a more liberalized diet in the neutropenic patient.

PMID: 22870542 [Indexed for MEDLINE]