Background: One of the major side effects of cancer chemotherapy is myelosuppression. Neutropenia and/or thrombocytopenia are dose-limiting factors in chemotherapy. Colony stimulating factor induces proliferation and functional maturation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. GM-CSF is primarily active on progenitor cells of granulocytic and monocytic lineage. Method: Fifteen patients with histologically proven malignancy diagnosed at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 1993 to August 1995 were included in this study. We could evaluate the clinical efficacy of GM-CSF in l3 patients undergoing FCL(5- FU, Carboplatin and Leucovorin) chemotherapy; the first cycles involved no GM-CSF while the second cycles involved GM-CSF on day 6 through 15 of chemotherapy. Resulte: 1) The subjects were fifteen patients in all, there were five patients with head and neck cancer, which was the most common types of maligancy. There were four patients with colon cancer, two patients with stomach cancer, and one patient with breast cancer, gallbladder cancer, cervix cancer and cholangiocarcinoma respectively. two patients, who did not complete two cycles of chemotherapy were excluded. 2) Age distribution was from 38 years to 78 years with a median age of 57. 3) In FCL chemotherapy cycles with GM-CSF, the duration of neutropenia(<500/￥iL) was 0.5¡¾0.3 day, while FCL chemotherapy cycles without GM-CSF, it was 2.9¡¾0.7 day(P=0.008). 3) There was no significant difference in platelet count between the two chemotherapy cycles(P= 0.133). 4) Febrile duration without GM-CSF was 4.9¡¾2.l day, but with GM-CSF the duration was 1.3¡¾0.7 day, which was significantly different(P=0.003). The duration of antibiotics use with GM-CSF was 1.7¡¾1.2 day and without GM-CSF was 6.8¡¾3.2 day, also significantly different(P= 0.002). But hospital stay between the two cycles were not significantly different(P=0.064). Conclusion: GM-CSF was effective in preventing or restorig bone marrow depression after FCL chemotherapy.
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