The neutropenic diet: what's the evidence?

Despite improved survival of children with cancer, opportunistic infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Several interventions have been tried to decrease the incidence of infection by reducing patients' exposure to bacteria during neutropenia. The neutropenic diet is one such intervention that was intended to limit the introduction of bacteria into the host's gastrointestinal tract. The only studies evaluating this diet have used this strategy in combination with multiple other interventions, and the independent effect of this diet remains unknown. More research about the neutropenic diet is needed to establish its effectiveness in clinical practice.