title: Hematopoietic growth factors in myelodysplastic syndromes.
abstract: Hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) continue to be the most widely prescribed class of medications for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), despite the advent of disease-modifying therapies for MDS (eg, azacitidine, decitabine, and lenalidomide) and the current absence of an MDS-specific US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication for any of the HGFs. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs: epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa), myeloid growth factors (MGFs: filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, sargramostim), and the newest group of HGFs, thrombopoiesis-stimulating agents (TSAs: romiplostim, eltrombopag), can increase peripheral blood counts in some patients, and may ameliorate some of the signs and symptoms of MDS-associated bone marrow failure. Although HGFs are generally considered "supportive care" measures, recent data suggest that HGFs may alter the natural history of disease in MDS, either for better or worse. This review examines data on the safety and effectiveness of HGFs for patients with MDS.
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA. david_steensma@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Steensma
mesh_terms: D001565:Benzoates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006397:Hematinics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D006397:Hematinics; D006834:Hydrazines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C081222:sargramostim; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D013926:Thrombopoietin; C488777:romiplostim; D000069585:Filgrastim; C520809:eltrombopag