[Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and clinical laboratory]

The effects of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the white blood cell count and the morphology of peripheral white blood cells were studied during the period of leukocytopenia following chemotherapy in patients with non-hematological malignant tumors (solid tumor group) and those with lymphatic hematological diseases (lymphocytic malignancy group). Cell surface markers were also analyzed to evaluate the usefulness of G-CSF in peripheral stem cell transplantation. After G-CSF administration, the white blood cell count showed remarkable changes beyond the physiologic range; the increase and decrease were 5.0 times and 0.3 times previous values, respectively, in the solid tumor group, and 11.0 times and 0.2 times, respectively, in the lymphocytic malignancy group. Concerning the morphology of peripheral white blood cells, immature leukocytes increased markedly to 133.0 times the previous value. The frequency of immature cells with morphological abnormalities was 0.5 percent in the solid tumor group, but 1.6 percent in the lymphocytic malignancy group. These findings suggest that administering G-CSF affects precision control and microscopic findings in routine laboratory blood tests and that information about whether the patient was treated with G-CSF should be obtained from the clinical staff. A cell surface marker, c-kit, was analyzed to clarify whether stem cells useful for peripheral stem cell transplantation appear in peripheral blood after administration of G-CSF. The incidence of c-kit-positive cells was at 1-10% in 3 of 5 patients in the solid tumor group administered G-CSF and in all 6 patients in the lymphocytic malignancy group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)