Caspofungin Acetate Compared With Amphotericin B Liposomal in Treating Patients With Persistent Fever and Neutropenia Following Cancer Treatment

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Leukemia, lymphoma, or other cancer that has been previously treated with chemotherapy or bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
• Absolute neutrophil count less than 500/mm\^3 for past 96 hours and not expected to recover in next 48 hours
• Received at least 96 hours of parenteral systemic antibacterial therapy
• Fever greater than 38.0 degrees Celsius
• Adequately managed bacterial infection allowed if all of the following are true:
• * Negative blood cultures
• * Received at least 5 days of antibiotics to which any bacterial isolates are sensitive
• * Surgical drainage of any abscess fluid or surgical debridement of infected tissues
• * Removal of infected catheters
• No invasive fungal infection
• Not previously enrolled on this study
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 16 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 30-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 5 days
• Hematopoietic:
• Platelet count at least 5,000/mm\^3
• INR no greater than 1.6 (no greater than 4.0 if receiving anticoagulants)
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST or ALT no greater than 5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN
• No acute hepatitis or cirrhosis
• Renal:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
• No allergy, hypersensitivity, or prior serious reaction to any echinocandin antifungal or amphotericin B formulation
• No other condition or illness that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent investigational antineoplastic therapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• Not specified
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• At least 10 days since prior parenteral amphotericin B
• At least 14 days since prior investigational antibiotic, antifungal, or immunosuppressive drug
• No concurrent rifampin or cyclosporine
• No other concurrent investigational antibiotic, antifungal, or immunosuppressive drug
• No concurrent alcohol