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Current and future use of hematopoietic growth factors in cancer medicine
Author(s) -
Mughal Tariq I.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
hematological oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-1069
pISSN - 0278-0232
DOI - 10.1002/hon.736
Subject(s) - current (fluid) , medicine , haematopoiesis , intensive care medicine , oncology , biology , engineering , genetics , stem cell , electrical engineering
Myelosuppression, in particular neutropenia and anemia are serious complications of malignancy and its treatment. Neutropenia can make patients vulnerable to potentially life‐threatening infection. It often results in dose reductions and delay of planned chemotherapy, which can have a significant detrimental effect on tumour response and survival. Anemia can be associated with a range of debilitating effects, which can severely impair patients' QOL. In addition, there is some evidence recognizing anemia as a poor prognostic indicator, associated with reduced treatment efficacy. Reduction in the duration and severity of neutropenia and anemia is possible by initiation of appropriate growth factors during the first and subsequent cycles of chemotherapy. New and improved growth factor support with agents such as pegfilgrastim and darbepoetin alfa has the potential to improve the management of chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia and anemia further. Thrombopoietin is currently in clinical trials to assess its potential role in the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with cancer. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.