The role of haemopoietic growth factors in bone marrow transplantation

The availability of recombinant haemopoietic growth factors for clinical use has led to a proliferation of trials in the setting of bone marrow transplantation. Early results from these studies, using GM-CSF and G-CSF, show that these factors are able to reduce the period of cytotoxic induced neutropaenia but have little effect on platelet recovery. Toxicity has been relatively mild unless very high doses are administered. Randomised controlled trials are in progress and will help to define the exact role of growth factors in this setting. Future prospects include the increasing availability of other growth factors for clinical use and the potential for combination growth factor therapy to provide a more optimal haemopoietic response.