Myeloid growth factors as anti-infective measures in children with leukemia and lymphoma.

Clinical trials in children treated for leukemia and lymphoma demonstrated that the hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) granulocyte (G) and granulocyte-macrophage (GM) CSFs ameliorate duration and depth of neutropenia, and also seem to decrease antibiotic usage and hospitalization. However, neither G-CSF nor GM-CSF significantly reduced the risk for infectious complications, such as febrile neutropenia or documented infections, or improved overall survival in these patient populations. Since it is unclear whether G- and GM-CSF may increase the risk for relapse in subgroups of patients with leukemia, guidelines recommend that hematopoietic growth factors should be used with caution in children with leukemia and lymphoma.