1. Granulocyte function in elderly patients receiving chemotherapy for aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Author
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Joachim Lundahl, Jan Forslid, Magnus Björkholm, and Eva Ösby
- Subjects
Oncology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Vincristine ,Chemotherapy ,Mitoxantrone ,Cyclophosphamide ,business.industry ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Induction chemotherapy ,CHOP ,medicine.disease ,Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ,Internal medicine ,Immunology ,Internal Medicine ,medicine ,Prednisolone ,business ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Background: Treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is given in order to mitigate chemotherapy-induced granulocytopenia and the risk of infectious complications, which constitute a major threat to elderly patients, in particular, with malignant disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether G-CSF therapy would improve granulocyte defence mechanisms against infectious agents in this elderly, high-risk patient population. Methods: Fourteen elderly (>60 years) patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma were enrolled in the study. Using flow cytometry we studied the expression of CD11b, before and after stimulation with fMLP, and CD16, as well as granulocyte metabolic activation measured as intracellular accumulation of dichlorofluorescein during induction chemotherapy. Eight patients were randomised to receive G-CSF treatment (5 μg/kg) on days 2–15. Granulocyte studies were done regularly during one 3-week cycle of chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP) or CNOP (doxorubicin substituted by mitoxantrone). Results: Patients receiving G-CSF showed a faster restitution of granulocyte counts. Granulocyte CD11b expression following fMLP stimulation in vitro decreased during G-CSF therapy (P
- Published
- 2002