The myeloid growth factors

Abstract

The myeloid growth factors (MGFs) are an important class of biologic agents for the support of cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy by augmenting the production and functional maturation of hematopoietic cells for the purpose of reducing hematologic complications while enabling the safe delivery of effective treatment. This chapter will focus on MGFs with known clinical importance for hematopoiesis in the patient with cancer. Myelosuppression and its sequelae represent the most common dose-limiting complications of cancer chemotherapy and are associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and costs. In addition to direct chemotherapy-associated complications such as neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, myelosuppression often results in chemotherapy dose reductions and delays, reducing delivered chemotherapy dose intensity and potentially compromising disease control and long-term survival in patients with responsive and potentially curable malignancies. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.