Neutropenic Fever: — Go to Hospital Now

Chemotherapy reduces the number of white blood cells your body produces. Neutrophils are the cells that fight bacterial infection, and when their count is critically low, your body cannot stop even a minor infection from spreading. That infection can reach the bloodstream — causing sepsis — within hours. NCCN and ASCO classify neutropenic fever as an oncological emergency for this reason. The risk is not the fever itself but the near-absence of any immune defence while the infection spreads.

No. Paracetamol may reduce the reading temporarily and create the false impression that it is safe to stay home. That delay is dangerous. The underlying problem — critically low neutrophil counts and an active infection — is not affected by paracetamol. Your team will manage the fever and the infection together, and that requires hospital treatment. Go to the emergency department first. Do not take paracetamol to decide whether to go.

Tell the triage nurse immediately that you are having chemotherapy and may have neutropenic fever. You should be assessed quickly rather than waiting in the general queue — NCCN and ASCO guidance treats this as time-critical. A blood test will confirm whether your neutrophil count is low. Your team will look for the source of the infection and begin treatment without waiting for every result.

If you feel cold, shivery or unwell alongside that reading, go now — the next measurement may already be higher, and feeling unwell is itself a warning sign. If you are unsure whether it is serious enough, go anyway. A hospital visit that turns out to be unnecessary is far safer than staying home when treatment was needed. Do not wait for the number to reach 38°C if you already feel worse than usual.