Hematopoietic stimulants
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Examples
| Brand Name | Chemical Name |
| Neupogen | filgrastim |
| Brand Name | Chemical Name |
| Neulasta | pegfilgrastim |
| Brand Name | Chemical Name |
| Prokine | sargramostim |
Hematopoietic stimulants are called granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) or granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factors (GM-CSF). They are given as shots under your skin. People usually get a shot every day. But Neulasta is longer-lasting and may be given less often.
How It Works
Hematopoietic stimulants are the man-made form of something that is produced naturally by your body. These drugs help your bone marrow make new white blood cells.
Why It Is Used
When you have chemotherapy for cancer, it kills the cells in your bone marrow. Hematopoietic stimulants help your bone marrow make new white blood cells. You need white blood cells to prevent or fight infection while you are being treated with chemotherapy.
Clinical trials are testing hematopoietic stimulants to see if they help people with some types of cancer. They work by stimulating the immune system.
How Well It Works
Hematopoietic stimulants help your body make new white blood cells and help prevent infection after chemotherapy. Preventing infection is an important part of cancer treatment. It may make it less likely that you will have severe complications or need to be hospitalized.
Side Effects
Side effects are common with hematopoietic stimulants and can include:
- Mild to moderate bone pain.
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Swollen spleen.
- High levels of uric acid, which may cause gout.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Most people have few problems with hematopoietic stimulants.
These drugs are expensive.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
Credits
| Author | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Editor | Alison Allen |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology |
| Last Updated | November 30, 2006 |
| Last updated: | November 30, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Reviewed By: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman |
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