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

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 amphote…