Reduction by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor of fever and neutropenia induced by chemotherapy in patients with small-cell lung cancer

Article Abstract:

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are subject to a wide variety of adverse side effects from the toxic drugs that are administered to combat their disease. Among these side effects are fever and neutropenia (depletion of white blood cells), a potentially lethal combination. Before the advent of modern methods of caring for chemotherapy patients, fever and neutropenia could result in death in as high as 80 percent of the affected patients. Even now, with optimized intravenous antibiotic therapies, mortality remains at about 10 percent. It has been proposed that certain growth factors, which stimulate the production and transformation of bone marrow cells into immune system effector cells, can reduce chemotherapy-related neutropenia in cancer patients. To test this hypothesis, 211 patients with small-cell lung cancer (199 of whom yielded complete data) were given either placebo or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; a white blood cell differentiation-promoting growth factor) on days 4 through 17 of a 21-day chemotherapy cycle. The incidence of fever was 77 percent in the placebo group, but only 40 percent in the G-CSF group. Neutropenia lasted six days in the placebo group compared with one day in the group treated with G-CSF. Other indices of white blood cell depletion were reduced in the drug-treated group by about 50 percent. Twenty percent of the patients receiving G-CSF complained of mild-to-moderate bone pain during treatment. It is concluded that G-CSF is a relatively well-tolerated drug that reduces some of the deleterious side effects of cancer chemotherapy. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Fever, Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, Lung cancer, Small cell, Small cell lung cancer

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A double-blind comparison of empirical oral and intravenous antibiotic therapy for low-risk febrile patients with neutropenia during cancer chemotherapy

Article Abstract:

Many cancer patients with neutropenia during chemotherapy can take oral antibiotics and would not need to be hospitalized. Neutropenia is a decrease in white blood cells called neutrophils, which predisposes chemotherapy patients to infection. Researchers randomly assigned 163 cancer patients on chemotherapy to take oral antibiotics or intravenous antibiotics in the hospital. The antibiotics were effective in two-thirds of the patients in both groups. Cancer patients at low risk of infection could take oral antibiotics on an outpatient basis, which would reduce the cost of treatment.

Statistical Data Included, Antibiotics, Causes of, Bacterial infections, Dosage and administration

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Effects of polyethylene glycol-conjugated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor on platelet counts after chemotherapy for lung cancer

Article Abstract:

Polyethylene glycol-conjugated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) may boost the production of platelets in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can often cause a drop in platelet counts, which can cause hemorrhage. Researchers randomly assigned 53 patients receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer to take either MGDF or placebo. Patients who took MGDF had significantly higher platelet counts throughout their treatment compared to those taking placebo. Platelet counts were restored to normal levels faster in those taking MGDF.

Health aspects, Drug therapy, Thrombocytopenia, Hematopoietic growth factors

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