title: Treatment of prolonged chemotherapy induced severe thrombocytopenia with recombinant human interleukin-3--a report on four cases.
abstract: Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a multipotent hematopoietic growth factor, which exhibits stimulatory effects on leucocytes, reticulocytes and platelets. Due to its pronounced induction of megakaryopoiesis, IL-3 is thought to be a cytokine with the potential to prevent and to overcome chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. We report on four cases (two of metastatic breast cancer, one of metastatic ovarian cancer and one of Hodgkin's disease) with prolonged chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia in whom rhIL-3 in combination with either recombinant human (rh) granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or rh granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was administered. In all cases, a steady and clinically significant increase in platelet counts could be observed. No major side effects, neither due to the application of rhIL-3 nor due to rhGM-CSF or rhG-CSF, occurred; only flu-like symptoms were seen, which could effectively be treated with paracetamol. This report highlights the efficacy of combined treatment with rhIL-3 plus rhGM-CSF or rhG-CSF in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, where megakaryopoiesis could be stimulated efficiently by rhIL-3. Based on this experience, the authors conclude that established thrombocytopenia as a major side effect of myelosuppressive chemotherapy should be considered as an indication for the use of rhIL-3 in interventional treatment. Further investigations in this area are encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Pharma GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Färber
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Haus
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Füchsel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Theml
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatsiproios
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Drechsler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010976:Platelet Count; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007377:Interleukin-3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor