Granulocyte‐colony‐stimulating Factor Enhances the Circulating Hematopoietic Progenitors in Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Cisplatin‐containing Regimens

A phase II study examining the effects of human recombinant granulocyte‐colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) on the growth of colony‐forming unit‐granulocyte macrophage (CFU‐GM) in the bone marrow and in the peripheral blood was performed in lung cancer patients treated with cisplatin‐containing regimens. Treatment with G‐CSF following chemotherapy significantly increased the absolute granulocyte count. No significant effect of G‐CSF on either the platelet or the red blood cell count was observed. Treatment with G‐CSF did not affect the CFU‐GM levels in the bone marrow, but did have a significant effect on peripheral blood CFU‐GM levels 14 days after initiation of chemotherapy (J°<0.05). Four patients demonstrated a rebound increase in the level of peripheral blood CFU‐GM during the first course of chemotherapy without G‐CSF. In contrast, eight patients displayed increase in peripheral blood CFU‐GM levels during the second course of chemotherapy with G‐CSF treatment. These findings demonstrate that G‐CSF is a potent stimulator of granulocyte proliferation as well as a potent agent for promoting transport of hematopoietic progenitors from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood.