Treatment of aplastic anaemia with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and risk of malignancy. Italian Aplastic Anaemia Study Group

Lancet. 2001 Jan 6;357(9249):43-4. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(00)03574-1.

Abstract

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is being increasingly used in healthy volunteers to harvest haemopoietic stem cells. A possible role of G-CSF in the development of clonal disorders or leukaemia has been suggested. We analysed 144 patients with aplastic anaemia treated with immunosuppression protocols with or without G-CSF, with normal cytogenetics at diagnosis or immediately after immunosuppression. Our findings indicated that the risk of developing myelodysplasia or leukaemia was similar in patients with aplastic anaemia on immunosuppressive treatment with or without G-CSF. Therefore, it seems unlikely that G-CSF causes leukaemia in healthy volunteers.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Letter
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anemia, Aplastic / drug therapy*
  • Antilymphocyte Serum / adverse effects
  • Antilymphocyte Serum / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects
  • Cyclosporine / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / adverse effects
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use*
  • Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Infant
  • Leukemia / chemically induced
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / chemically induced
  • Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antilymphocyte Serum
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Cyclosporine