1800 202 8726
Chemotherapy emergency

Fever During Chemotherapy: — What to Do Right Now

If you or someone you are caring for has a fever during chemotherapy, go to the nearest emergency department now. Do not wait to see if it improves. Do not wait until morning.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh Gundu, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar) · DNB Internal Medicine (Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi) · DM Medical Oncology (AIIMS) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • Go now, not in the morning — A fever during chemotherapy cannot be managed at home. The emergency department is the right place, tonight.
  • Your immune system is not working normally — Chemotherapy lowers white blood cells. Your body cannot fight infection the way it usually would.
  • Feeling otherwise well does not mean it is safe to wait — People on chemotherapy can be seriously unwell before they look it. Do not use how you feel as the only guide.
  • Say it first at the emergency department — Tell the triage nurse you are on chemotherapy and have a fever before anything else. This changes how quickly you are seen.
4.8 · 800+ Google reviews · 15,000+ patients treated
Limited Slots Today

Speak to our team now

₹950   Today: FREE  ·  Including free written second opinion

Reply within 2 working hours
Reviewed by a senior medical oncologist
Confidential. No commitment to start treatment.
or
Call 1800 202 8726
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
96.9%
Breast Cancer
Survival Rate*
15,000+
Patients
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)

A fever during chemotherapy is a medical emergency. Chemotherapy lowers your white blood cells, which means your body cannot fight infection the way it normally would. Any fever — even if you feel otherwise well — means go to the nearest emergency department now. Do not wait until morning.

If a symptom below applies to you, do not wait for a callback. Call 1800-202-8726 or go to your nearest emergency department.

What level of concern needs what action?

SignCall your oncology teamGo to emergency now — do not wait
TemperatureYou feel warm but are unsure, and otherwise feel fineAny confirmed fever, or you feel hot and unwell for any reason
Other symptoms alongside feverNone, and you feel reasonably wellChills, shaking, fast heartbeat, breathlessness, confusion, or new pain anywhere
How you feel overallMildly off, able to speak and drink normallyVery unwell, confused, unable to drink, or something feels seriously wrong
Typically startsCan happen at any point during your treatmentMost often in the days after a chemotherapy cycle, when white blood cell counts reach their lowest point

If you are worried right now, call

Our helpline is answered by clinical staff. If a symptom is on the list above, do not wait for a callback — call, or go to your nearest emergency department.

Meet the Specialists

17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.

Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.

Dr. Naresh Gundu
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Naresh Gundu

MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy

MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)

View Profile
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla

MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)

View Profile
Dr. Owais Mohammed
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Owais Mohammed

MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)

View Profile
Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. N. Kiranmayee
Medical Oncologist

Dr. N. Kiranmayee

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Internal Medicine)

View Profile
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty

MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)

View Profile
Dr. Raghavendra Naik
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Raghavendra Naik

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed  Imaduddin
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin

M.B.B.S, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vinay Mamidala

MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)

View Profile
Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology), FMAS

View Profile
Dr. Venkata Sushma P
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Venkata Sushma P

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology), MPH

View Profile
Dr. Basudev Pokhrel
Hematologist

Dr. Basudev Pokhrel

MBBS, M.D (Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion)

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Mohammed Imran

View Profile
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology

View Profile
Dr. Sridhar Kamani
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Sridhar Kamani

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile

Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.

Book Free Consultation

Not sure whether this counts as an emergency?

Call the helpline. It is always better to check than to wait.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726

What should you do right now?

  • Take your temperature if you have a thermometer. Any reading that is raised, or that concerns you for any reason: go to the emergency department now.
  • Do not take paracetamol, ibuprofen, or any fever medicine before going. It can bring the temperature down and make it harder for the emergency team to see how unwell you are.
  • Tell someone you are leaving and where you are going. Do not drive yourself if you feel very unwell.
  • Bring your chemotherapy treatment card, the name of your drugs, and your oncologist's contact number if you have them.
  • At the emergency department, say immediately: 'I am on chemotherapy and I have a fever.' Say this before you join any queue. It changes how quickly you are assessed.

Why fever during chemotherapy is different from an ordinary fever

An ordinary fever means your immune system is fighting back. During chemotherapy, that system is suppressed. Your body may not be able to mount the same defence, which means an infection can spread faster and become serious very quickly.

This is why NCCN, ASCO and ESMO all classify fever during chemotherapy as a situation that needs immediate hospital assessment — not a call to wait and see.

The condition this page is about — febrile neutropenia, fever in a person with low white blood cells — is treatable. The outcome depends almost entirely on how quickly assessment and treatment begin.

Explore 69 more Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies topics

Blood Transfusion & Donor Arrangement

HUB — Low Blood Counts, Infection and Fever During Chemotherapy

Vaccination During & After Chemotherapy

All Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies →

Next step

Still not sure what applies to you?

Send your reports across and a senior medical oncologist will go through what they mean, what is known, and what the options actually are.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I take paracetamol first to bring the fever down before going to hospital?

No. Taking paracetamol or any fever medicine before you are assessed can lower your temperature and make it harder for the emergency team to see how unwell you are. It does not treat the underlying infection, and it can delay the tests and treatment you need. Go to the emergency department first. Once you are there, tell the team everything you have already taken.

What if I do not have a thermometer and I am not sure I have a fever?

If you feel hot, feverish, shivery, or generally unwell and you are on chemotherapy, treat it as a fever. You do not need a confirmed temperature reading to go to the emergency department. Feeling unwell during chemotherapy — even without a number — is enough reason to seek emergency assessment now. Do not wait until you can borrow a thermometer or until morning.

Will I definitely be admitted to hospital if I go in?

Not always, but most people with fever during chemotherapy are admitted so the team can check blood counts and begin any treatment needed. Some people are assessed, found to be lower risk, and managed differently. That decision is made by the hospital team after in-person assessment — not in advance and not over the phone. The only way to find out which applies to you is to go and be seen.

Can I just call my oncologist instead of going to the emergency department?

Call if it helps you get moving, but do not wait for a return call before going. Fever during chemotherapy needs in-person assessment, blood tests and monitoring — none of which can happen over the phone. If you cannot reach your oncologist, go directly to the nearest emergency department and tell them you are on chemotherapy. Your oncologist can be reached by the hospital team once you are there.

Full index

Browse all 579 chemotherapy topics

Every page in this section, grouped by the part of treatment it belongs to. Open a group to see what is in it.

Before You Start: Tests, Ports & Fertility42
Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies73

Anaemia & Low Haemoglobin

HUB — Low Blood Counts, Infection and Fever During Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and Supportive Medicines by Name75

Chemotherapy Drugs by Name

HUB — Chemotherapy Drugs by Name

HUB — Generic, Branded and Biosimilar Chemotherapy in India

HUB — Supportive Medicines Used With Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy at CION Cancer Clinics1
Chemotherapy by Cancer Type and Special Situations5

Special Populations & Comorbidities

HUB — Chemotherapy in Special Situations

Chemotherapy in Hyderabad: Cost, Centres & Access93

HUB — Choosing a Chemotherapy Centre and Safe Administration

Common Side Effects and How They Are Managed78
Food, Diet, Hydration & Household Safety6
How Chemotherapy Is Given: Regimens, Cycles & Infusion Days85

Other Ways Chemotherapy Is Given

HUB — Cycles, Schedules and What Happens on Infusion Day

Is It Working, Finishing Chemotherapy & Survivorship7

Is It Working? Response & Scans

HUB — Is Chemotherapy Working? Scans and Response

HUB — When Chemotherapy Stops Working

Nerve, Skin, Heart, Kidney and Cognitive Effects5

Skin, Nails & Hand-Foot Syndrome

Heart, Lung & Organ Toxicity

HUB — Effects on the Heart, Kidneys, Liver and Nerves

Understanding Chemotherapy, Myths & Trials97

HUB — Chemotherapy Myths and Alternative Treatment Claims

HUB — Clinical Trials in Cancer Treatment

HUB — What Is Chemotherapy and Why Has It Been Advised?

Work, Family, Relationships and Emotional Support12
Call now Book free consultation