Risk factors, etiology, symptomatology and outcome of bacteremia in 276 patients with solid tumors were evaluated. A group of 78 patients with solid tumors and surgical therapy was compared with 172 patients with solid tumors but treated solely by chemotherapy. The most frequently observed risk factors of bacteremia in patients after surgery were the vascular and urinary catheter insertions, wound as source of bacteremia, staphylococci, enterococci and Enterobacteriaceae as etiologic agents. Comparing the group of therapeutically treated patients with solid tumors, with the group of those treated only by chemotherapy, a statistically significant difference in risk factors between both groups was observed only in the incidence of catheter insertion (more frequently in surgically treated patients), neutropenia (more frequently in those treated by chemotherapy). Wound as source of bacteremia was more frequently observed in those after surgery. Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci were significantly more frequently observed in patients with solid tumors treated by surgery. Surprisingly, patients after surgery the mortality due to septic shock was lower in (6.4% vs 16.9%, p < 0.03) than in the control group of patients with solid tumors treated solely by chemotherapy. (Tab. 1, Ref. 5.).