Effectiveness and Safety of Pegfilgrastim in BEP Treatment for Patients with Germ Cell Tumor

Background The effectiveness and safety of pegfilgrastim during bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy have not yet been investigated. Patients and methods Patients with germ cell tumors (GCTs) who received pegfilgrastim during BEP at the Kanazawa University Hospital between January 2014 and December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The frequency of adverse events and effectiveness in inhibiting neutropenia were compared between cycles using pegfilgrastim and those using filgrastim. Results Pegfilgrastim and filgrastim were administered in 13 and 22 cycles, respectively. The absolute neutrophil count at the nadir was significantly lower in patients receiving pegfilgrastim than in those receiving filgrastim (p=0.003). The duration of grade 2-4 neutropenia in cycles using filgrastim was significantly longer than that in those pegfilgrastim (p=0.01). No significant differences in the incidence of febrile neutropenia and serious adverse events were observed. Conclusion Pegfilgrastim can be safely and effectively administrated during BEP for patients with GCT.