[Hematopoietic growth factors (choice, chronology, combination]

Hematopoietic growth factors (HGF) or blood stem cell (BSC) transplantation can be used to decrease hematological toxicity due to high dose radio-chemotherapy. HGF can also be combined to BSC transplantation in different ways: administered either alone (during the steady state) or combined standard chemotherapy, HGF can increase BSC mobilisation and consequently the yield of BSC collected leading to a decrease of aplasia duration after transplantation; administered to the patient after transplant, they can decrease the period of granulocytopenia; HGF can also be used to expand ex vivo BSC before reinfusion to the patient. In these different situations, the best combination of HGF needs to be clarified.