Estrategias de prevención y control de las infecciones en pacientes oncológicos

Introduction. Cancer is one of the most serious global public health problems. Despite the treatments and technological advances, cancer patients continue to present high rates of infection. Nursing plays an essential role in preventing the risk of infection brought by the different therapeutic measures used. Control of Health Care-Associated Infections (HAIs) is essential, because it is considered part of the ongoing care work of nurses. The aim of this article is to conduct a literary review of the main control strategies for the prevention of infections in cancer patients. Division of Covered Topics. A search was conducted in the Medline, Pubmed, Ebsco, Scielo and Clinicalkey databases between 2011 and 2018 to find information about the prevention of infections in cancer patients. The definition, epidemiology and different control methods in the prevention of infections in cancer patients are described, classifying these preventive measures as general or specific. Conclusions. The scientific literature offers a great variety of recommendations for the prevention of infections in cancer patients. The risks can be minimized through the implementation of strategies supported by scientific evidence, such as nutrition and hygiene measures.