FAILURE OF COMBINATION THERAPY WITH RECOMBINANT GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR AND ERYTHROPOIETIN IN MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) and erythropoietin (rhEPO) were used to treat ten patients with myelodyspl astic syndromes (MDS). None of the patients showed a favorable respons e in erythrocyte and platelet counts following 10 weeks' treatment, al though favorable responses in neutrophil counts were observed in eight of ten patients (80.0%) and in seven of eight patients (87.5%) follow ing 2 weeks' and 10 weeks' treatment, respectively. However, one patie nt with refractory anemia had a delayed favorable response in erythroc yte and neutrophil counts at week 14 in spite of the cessation of comb ination therapy at week 10. These resuits indicate that combination th erapy with rhG-CSF and rhEPO is not beneficial to patients with MDS, b ased on the presently used protocol.