DELAYED ADMINISTRATION OF GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR AFTERAUTOLOGOUS BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION - EFFECT AN GRANULOCYTE RECOVERY

Recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) has been s hown to hasten granulocyte recovery after autologous BMT, In current p rotocols, rhG-CSF treatment starts 1 day after BM reinfusion, Our stud y retrospectively examined the effects on haematological recovery of a day 6 delayed administration, Seventy-eight patients receiving autolo gous BMT for malignant lymphoma (21 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 9 Hodgk in's disease) or solid tumors (33 breast carcinoma and 5 ovarian carci noma) were split up into three study groups, Two groups receiving a 5 mu g/kg/day of rhG-CSF starting either 1 day (day + 1 group, n = 25 pa tients) or 6 days (day + 6 group, n = 24 patients) after BM reinfusion were compared with 29 historical control patients, Granulocyte recove ry to 0.5 x 10(9)/l was 12 days in day + 6 and day + 1 groups versus 1 6 days in control group (p < 0.005) without any difference in other he matological parameters, infectious complications or length of hospital isation between the three groups, The day + 6 administration allows el imination of a median of 7 days rhG-CSF, It has been concluded that th e day + 6 administration gives the same clinical benefit as day + 1 ad minstration with consequent cost reductions.