The role of G-CSF in the treatment of advanced tumors.

摘要

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) induces proliferation and differentiation of myeloid precursor cells to granulocytes. Therefore, it was initially adopted in oncology for the treatment of neutropenia resulting from cancer chemotherapy. However, over the last few years several reports have proposed a more direct antitumoral activity for G-CSF.In 2005, Bottoni et al. published a paper reporting the results of a study obtained in patients with brain melanoma metastases after treatment with BOLD, a polychemodierapy of bleomicin, vincristin, lomustine and dacrabazine, along with a prolonged administration of G-CSF. In one patient, G-CSF was administered to treat his severe neutropenia; this patient had a complete response to this treatment, as both brain and liver melanoma metastases disappeared. This experience was further extended to other patients bearing melanoma metastases; interestingly, a complete response was observed in three out of eight patients (37.5%), stable disease in three patients and disease progression in two patients. The complete response was long lasting and two patients are currently alive and disease free.