Pegfilgrastim; a neutrophil mediated granulocyte colony stimulating factor-expanding uses in cancer chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
Currently G-CSFs such as filgrastim (Neupogen, Amgen, Inc.) and pegfilgrastim (Neulasta, Amgen, Inc.) are widely used to reduce chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Pegfilgrastim is a novel recombinant human G-CSF and its unique neutrophil-mediated clearance allows it to be administered once per chemotherapy cycle.


OBJECTIVE
To address the pharmacology of pegfilgrastim and provide an overview of its current clinical use in cancer chemotherapy.


METHODS
Review and summary of publications on pegfilgrastim indexed in the PubMed electronic database.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of pegfilgrastim is similar to or greater than that of filgrastim and an important advantage of pegfilgrastim is its schedule of administration that may be associated with greater treatment compliance and improved patient quality of life. Ongoing clinical trials continue to explore further potential uses for pegfilgrastim.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS trust, London W6 8RF, UK.
Mariko
M
Morishita
Robert C
RC
Leonard
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015195:Drug Design; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D010919:Placebos; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D010919:Placebos; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069585:Filgrastim