title: Hematopoietic growth factors in the treatment of the myelodysplastic syndromes.
abstract: Clinical trials with hematopoietic growth factors (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-3, and erythropoietin) have been performed in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Absolute neutrophil counts can be readily raised to within the normal range by treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Moderate increases in platelet counts have been reported for approximately 20% of patients during treatment with interleukin-3. Treatment with high-dose erythropoietin leads to an increase in hematocrit or decrease in transfusion needs in 15% to 20% of patients, but an improved response rate of approximately 40% has been reported for the combined treatment of erythropoietin with either granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Although meta-analyses of published phase I/II trials allow a rough estimation of response rates and an improved selection of patients who are most likely to respond, phase III trials have not yet been published.
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ganser
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D004921:Erythropoietin