The hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) and their receptors play essential roles in regulating hematopoiesis (see Chapter 2). For each hematopoietic lineage, specific factors are critical for producing and maintaining circulating levels of the cells. For example, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor regulates neutrophil production; granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor enhances production of neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils; erythropoietin regulates red blood cell production; and thrombopoietin regulates platelet production. This chapter focuses on results of clinical trials and approved uses for these HGFs and provides an overview of other factors at early stages in development.


Myeloid growth factors
 
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim, lenograstim)
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a myeloid growth factor produced . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Pegylated methionyl G-CSF (pegfilgrastim)
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (sargramostim, molgramostim)
Clinical use of G-CSF and GM-CSF
Prevention of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia
Pegfilgrastim for prevention of febrile neutropenia
GM-CSF for prevention of febrile neutropenia
Clinical guidelines for the use of the myeloid growth factors
Febrile neutropenia
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Mobilization of autologous peripheral blood stem cells and enhancement of neutrophil recovery after transplantation
Mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells from normal donors for allogeneic transplantation
Acceleration of neutrophil recovery after bone marrow transplantation
Improvement of neutrophil production in patients with delayed engraftment or graft failure after bone marrow transplantation
Severe chronic neutropenia (idiopathic, cyclic, congenital)
Myelodysplasia
Other potential clinical uses of G-CSF
Human immunodeficiency virus
Leukapheresis
Diabetes
Pneumonia
Myocardial infarction
Adverse effects of G-CSF
Adverse effects of GM-CSF
Risk of leukemia with G-CSF and GM-CSF
New versions of G-CSF and GM-CSF

Erythroid growth factors
 
Erythropoietin (epoetin alfa)
Chronic renal failure
Anemia in preterm infants
Anemia associated with HIV infection
Anemia in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy
FDA regulations
ASCO/American Society of Hematology guideline recommendations for erythropoietin
Other uses of epoetin alfa
Adverse effects associated with the use of erythropoietin
Darbepoetin alfa
Darbepoetin alfa for chronic renal failure
Darbepoetin alfa for anemia associated with chemotherapy
Other uses of darbepoetin alfa
Adverse effects associated with the use of darbepoetin alfa

Platelet growth factors
 
Thrombopoietin
Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia
Interleukin-11 (oprelvekin)
Primary prevention of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia
Secondary prevention of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia
Adverse effects of oprelvekin

Other HGFs
 
Stem cell factor (ancestim)
Mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells
Adverse effects of ancestim