title: A comparison of two GM-CSF schedules to counteract the granulo-monocytopenia of carboplatin-etoposide chemotherapy.
abstract: In order to obtain the beneficial effects from granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on granulo-monocyte recovery with the minimum dose and toxicity, we compared the effect of two different GM-CSF schedules (5 micrograms/kg/day subcutaneously, days 5 to > 18 versus days 12 to > 18 on the cytopenias which follow cytostatic treatment with carboplatin (400 mg/m2 intravenous (i.v.) day 1) and etoposide (100 mg/m2 i.v. days 1 to > 3). 13 patients entered the study for a total of 36 evaluable cycles. The cytostatic treatment produced a neutropenia that persisted for up to day 22 (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 1000/microliters in 25% and ANC < 2000 in 50% of control cycles). Early GM-CSF administration markedly increased the leucocyte nadir and produced two waves of leucocytosis: an early one, linked to marrow reserve release and presumably of no value to the patients; and a delayed one, due to marrow precursor and progenitor cell proliferation, in which the granulomonocytosis was associated with a marked eosinophilia. The delayed GM-CSF administration markedly increased the leucocyte nadir and accelerated granulo-monocyte recovery (with an only modest eosinophilia), so that chemotherapy could be repeated every 21 days in all the patients.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abate
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcolin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Volta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monteverde
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colombi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andorno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aglietta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016190:Carboplatin