EFFECT OF GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR ON CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED GRANULOCYTOPENIA IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANCIES

To investigate the effect of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) on cytotoxic chemotherapy-induced granulocytopenia, we performed an open nonrandomized clinical trial i n 46 patients with malignancies receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy regim en. Twenty-six patients who received two cycles of the identical chemo therapy regimen and had granulocytopenia less than 1 x 10(9) cells/l a fter the first cycle of chemotherapy were eligible for this study. The y received 60, 125 or 250 mug/m2/day of rhGM-CSF randomly. The nadirs of peripheral granulocytes demonstrated significantly much higher leve ls in all dosages studied than those of control cycles. The duration o f granulocytopenia was shortened with rhGM-CSF support. Such granulocy te recovery appeared in parallel with increasing dosages of GM-CSF, th us, infections with febrile episodes were reduced. Toxicity of rhGM-CS F was generally well tolerated.