[New oncologic therapeutic approaches with hematopoietic growth factors]

The haematopoietic growth factors interleukin-3 (IL-3), erythropoietin (EPO), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, Neupogen) and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are highly effective endogenous regulators of blood cell proliferation and differentiation. The results of initial clinical studies with these substances show a stimulation of haematopoiesis for numerous dysfunctions of the bone marrow, whereby the therapy of cytostatic-induced myelosuppression is of particular significance for the gynaecologist, specializing in oncology. After further experience with the individual substances, future development in this field will probably focus on the combined use of these growth factors, to stimulate all early developmental stages of haematopoiesis in the bone marrow and--in view of the line-specific effect--to achieve an effect on several lines of differentiation. Of the cytokines quoted, G-CSF (Neupogen) is so far the only growth factor, which is available for oncological indications. The approval of GM-CSF, IL-3 and EPO for oncological indications is pending. If the currently available results are confirmed by further clinical studies, it will be possible--over and above the improvement of cytostatic tolerance--to raise the current cytostatic doses limited by myelodepression, and to analyse, whether better oncological results can be achieved by more intensive chemotherapy, shorter application intervals, or by using previously impossible cytostatic combinations. The employment of haematopoietic growth factors could, in this way, lead to new oncological therapy concepts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)