title: A combined analysis of average relative dose intensity in the chemotherapy of solid tumors with pegfilgrastim or filgrastim support.
abstract: A metaanalysis of 4 clinical studies that treated adult solid tumors with standard combination chemotherapy and growth factor support was conducted to study average relative dose intensity. All studies compared pegfilgrastim with filgrastim in a randomized, doubleblinded design. A total of 564 patients were included in the analyses: 291 who received pegfilgrastim and 273 who received filgrastim. For all cycles of treatment, the mean duration of filgrastim dosing was between 10 and 11 days, compared with 1 dose per cycle of pegfilgrastim. Median average dose intensities were between 99% and 100% of planned intensity in the pegfilgrastim and filgrastim groups. Across all studies, 96% of patients receiving pegfilgrastim and 95% of patients receiving filgrastim received an average relative dose intensity of >/= 85%. Less than 10% of patients in the pegfilgrastim and filgrastim groups experienced a dose delay, and < 5% of patients received a chemotherapy reduction. We conclude that the use of prophylactic growth factor support was associated with a high proportion of chemotherapy cycles that were delivered on schedule and at full dose.
authors.affiliation: Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Seta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahin