Role of colony stimulating factors (CSFs) in solid tumours: results of an expert panel

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2007 Jul;63(1):53-64. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2007.01.008. Epub 2007 Mar 26.

Abstract

Febrile neutropenia is a relatively frequent event in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. A relevant body of scientific evidence has been produced in the last 2 decades, through clinical trials addressing the efficacy of colony stimulating factors (CSFs) in the prevention and treatment of febrile neutropenia. The correct use of CSFs needs to be optimized, and several guidelines have been produced and periodically updated, in order to uniform and guide clinical practice. The aim of this review is to synthesize the most relevant clinical trials and the most important existing guidelines about the role of CSFs in solid tumours. Role of CSFs as primary prophylaxis, secondary prophylaxis and treatment of afebrile and febrile neutropenia is discussed. A special focus is dedicated to neutropenia and the use of CSFs in the treatment of the three "big killers" among the solid tumours: breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Colony-Stimulating Factors / adverse effects
  • Colony-Stimulating Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Fever / prevention & control*
  • Fever / therapy*
  • Filgrastim
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Neutropenia / prevention & control*
  • Neutropenia / therapy*
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Recombinant Proteins

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Colony-Stimulating Factors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • pegfilgrastim
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Filgrastim