Natural History Study of Fungal Infections of the Blood in Patients With Cancer or in Patients Who Have Undergone a Stem Cell Transplant

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Group A: * Meets any of the following criteria: * Diagnosis of hematological malignancy including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia * Acute myeloid leukemia * Myelodysplastic syndromes * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia * Diagnosis of solid tumor, including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Breast cancer (hormone receptor status not specified) * Lung cancer * Colon cancer * Recipient of a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation * Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation * Admitted to a participating hospital ward (defined as ≥ 1 overnight stay) * Group B: * Meets the same criteria as in group A * Positive blood culture for a fungus PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Male or female * Menopausal status not specified PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior participation in this study