title: Pegfilgrastim for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
abstract: Many chemotherapy regimens cause myelosuppression, which can result in febrile neutropenia and potentially lead to serious infections. The risk of neutropenia and its complications can be reduced with filgrastim, a granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor. Filgrastim is safe and effective, but it is cleared rapidly from the body (predominantly through the kidneys) and requires daily administration for up to 14 days. A pegylated form of filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, has been developed by attaching a polyethylene glycol molecule to filgrastim. Pegfilgrastim has an extended circulation half-life and self-regulating, patient-specific pharmacokinetics, making it possible to give the treatment as a single dose once per chemotherapy cycle. Clinical trials have shown that a single, subcutaneous dose of pegfilgrastim is as safe and effective as daily filgrastim injections in patients treated with myelosuppressive chemotherapy. In addition, a single, 6 mg fixed dose of pegfilgrastim per chemotherapy cycle is sufficient in adult patients, regardless of their body weight, making pegfilgrastim a simple, effective, and well-tolerated option for managing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: cindi.bedel@usoncology.com
authors.forename: Cindi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bedell
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000069585:Filgrastim