title: Pegfilgrastim and daily granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: patterns of use and neutropenia-related outcomes in cancer patients in Spain--results of the LEARN Study.
abstract: Daily granulocyte colony-stimulating factors [(G-CSFs); e.g. filgrastim, lenograstim] are frequently used to reduce the duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and the incidence of febrile neutropenia (FN) in cancer patients. A pegylated formulation of filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, which is administered once per cycle, was introduced in Spain in 2003. LEARN was a multi-centre, retrospective, observational study in Spain comparing patterns of use of daily G-CSF and pegfilgrastim, and CIN-related outcomes in adults with non-myeloid malignancies receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Outcome measures were the percentage of patients receiving G-CSF for primary prophylaxis versus secondary prophylaxis/treatment, duration of treatment with G-CSF and incidence of CIN-related complications. Medical records from consecutive patients with documented pegfilgrastim (n = 75) or daily G-CSF (n = 111) use during 2003 were included. The proportion of patients receiving primary or secondary prophylaxis was comparable between the pegfilgrastim (39 and 48% respectively) and daily G-CSF (40 and 48% respectively) groups. However, there was a trend towards less frequent use to treat a neutropenic event such as FN or neutropenia in the pegfilgrastim group (17 versus 30% with daily G-CSF). Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia-related complications were less frequent in patients receiving pegfilgrastim (e.g. FN 11 versus 24% with daily G-CSF). This is the first study to show the potential benefits of pegfilgrastim over daily G-CSF in Spanish clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Hospital Universitario Dr Peset, Valencia, Spain. almenar_dan@gva.es
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Almenar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mayans
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: J M Garcia
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: J I Jalon
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guinot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cerezuela
authors.forename: E Garcia
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Buscalla
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gasquet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069585:Filgrastim