OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the safety and efficacy of levofloxacin versus cefepime in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia. II. Compare the percentage of patients whose fever defervesces and who have no signs or symptoms of infection with and without therapeutic modification. III. Compare the percentage of survival of patients treated with these 2 regimens with no therapeutic modifications. IV. Compare the overall survival of patients treated with these 2 regimens regardless of therapeutic modifications. V. Compare the time to resolution of fever in patients treated with these regimens. VI. Compare the microbiologic response by pathogen and site of infection in patients treated with these regimens. VII. Compare the percentage of patients whose fever defervesces only after resolution of neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count at least 500/mm3) with no therapeutic modification.~OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to type of malignancy (solid tumor, including lymphoma vs leukemia), prior prophylactic antibiotics (yes vs no), and participating center. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive levofloxacin IV over 90 minutes once daily for 14-28 days. Arm II: Patients receive cefepime IV over 30 minutes every 8 hours for 14-28 days. Patients may receive additional antifungal, antibacterial, or antiviral therapy if condition has deteriorated, no response is seen in 72 hours, or and infection is suspected or documented. Patients are followed at 1-3 and 7-12 days and then at 3-4 weeks.~PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 260-400 patients (130-200 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study.
RATIONALE: Levofloxacin may be effective in reducing fever and controlling other symptoms of neutropenia in patients who are being treated for cancer. It is not yet known whether levofloxacin is more effective than cefepime in reducing fever and controlling symptoms of neutropenia.~PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of levofloxacin with that of cefepime in reducing fever and controlling symptoms of neutropenia in patients who are being treated for cancer.