Procalcitonin Guidance in Lymphoma Patients

Diagnostic Thresholds

• Normal PCT levels (<0.50 ng/mL) have 96-98.6% negative predictive value for bacterial infections, particularly gram-negative infections, according to Praxis Medical Insights 1
• PCT may have limited utility in specific lymphoma subpopulations, including those with febrile neutropenia, history of bone marrow transplant, or primary lung involvement, where PCT elevation may not reliably correlate with infection, as noted in Intensive Care Medicine 2

Prognostic Value

• Elevated initial PCT levels in non-Hodgkin lymphoma with febrile neutropenia strongly predict mortality and ICU admission, making PCT useful for risk stratification beyond infection diagnosis 1