title: Value of granulocyte colony stimulating factor in radiotherapy induced neutropenia: clinical and laboratory studies.
abstract: We report the effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on neutropenia occurring during extended field radiotherapy in two groups of patients. The first group comprised 8 patients receiving craniospinal irradiation for a variety of central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms. None of these patients received cytotoxic chemotherapy. G-CSF was administered when the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) approached 1.5 x 10(9)/l. Neutropenia was promptly corrected in all cases, thereby avoiding unscheduled interruptions in radiotherapy. Following each G-CSF administration, ANC reached a peak on the following day and then declined steadily. Mean ANC rose from 1.33 x 10(9)/l on the day of G-CSF treatment to 7.07 x 10(9)/l the next day. Patients received 2-6 G-CSF injections during radiotherapy. Experiments were carried out in vitro to assess the risk of G-CSF causing increased CNS tumour cell proliferation. 11 human CNS tumour cultures (2 medulloblastomas, 2 primitive neuroectodermal tumours and 7 astrocytic tumours) were cultured in the presence of G-CSF at a range of concentrations up to 100 ng/ml. Their proliferation was compared with that of a G-CSF dependent murine leukemia cell line (NFS-60). None of the human tumour cultures demonstrated a significant increase in proliferation in response to G-CSF. 4 patients undergoing "mantle" type radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Disease or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma also received G-CSF treatment for neutropenia. All 4 had previously received cytotoxic chemotherapy. The number of G-CSF injections given per patient during radiotherapy ranged from 3-6. Mean ANC rose from 1.76 x 10(9)/l to 10.8 x 10(9)/l the next day. These results suggest that G-CSF is a reliable treatment for radiotherapy induced neutropenia and that an intermittent dosage schedule is effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mac Manus
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trimble
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Abram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009504:Neutrophils; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor