title: Will cytokines alter the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome?
abstract: Myelodysplastic syndrome is a frustrating disorder, which until recently lacked effective treatment. Patients usually succumb to infection, bleeding complications, or progression to acute leukemia. Recombinant cytokines such as granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, interleukin-3, and erythropoietin have been used to ameliorate the cytopenias associated with this disease. Small clinical trials in myelodysplastic syndrome patients, using cytokines with myeloid activity (G-CSF, GMCSF, IL-3), have shown consistent elevations in the white blood cell counts with little success in elevating hemoglobin or platelets. Erythropoietin is able to increase the hemoglobin in a small group of myelodysplastic syndrome patients. Future trials using combinations of these cytokines may lead to multilineage effects.
authors.affiliation: Don Monti Division of Oncology, North Shore University Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, New York 11030.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007377:Interleukin-3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor