[Clinical use of granulocyte colony stimulating-factors (GM-CSF and G-CSF]

Humoral regulation of granulocytopoiesis was proven 30 years ago by discovery of factors which stimulate production of granulocyte colonies (CSF-colony stimulating factors), while clinical utilization of recombinant human colony stimulating factors (rhGM-CSF and rh-CSF) is present for the last 10 years. On the basis of this, today we have a lot of experience in regard to indications, modes and results of their clinical utilization. Clinical utilization of CSF is divided into three fields: treatment of the neutropenic syndrome, utilization in oncologic patients and in bone marrow transplantation. The best results have been achieved in neutropenic syndrome therapy, both chronic (congenital, cyclic and idiopathic neutropenia, aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome) and acute (granulocytopenia drug induced, postirradiation neutropenia). In oncologic patients it is used to eliminate neutropenia which occurs after cytostatic therapy with standard doses or high dose cytostatic therapy with better effects on the tumor, but with myeloablation. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is also used for stimulating fast granulocytopoiesis in autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, in unsatisfactory transplants especially. In recent years it has been used for mobilization of progenitor CD34+ cells in the donor in order to perform their transplantation, especially in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. At our institution G-CSF has been successfully used in 17 patients.