CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED SEVERE THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY AND ITS TREATMENT WITH INTERLEUKIN-3

Six patients suffering from various gynecologic malignancies developed severe thrombocytopenia (WHO IV) after normal-dose chemotherapy. All patients were treated with platelet transfusions but the results on he matopoietic recovery were not satisfactory. Therefore treatment with a new hematopoietic substance (rh interleukin-3) was initiated. All pat ients received a dosage of 5 mu g/kg/bw daily s.c. up to 10 days depen ding on the response of platelet counts. In two women, who had suffere d from severe hemorrhage (epistaxis resp. ankle joint hematoma), sympt oms disappeared after approximately three days of rhIL-3 use. Whereas platelet transfusions were ineffective in all patients, IL-3 led to a significant increase of the platelet count after 3-5 days of applicati on. Side-effects were mild, when seen in one case, where G-CSF was giv en at the same time. Our experience supports the idea of using new gro wth factors like rhIL-3 to cure chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, such as severe thrombocytopenia.