Advances in the clinical use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to intensify cancer chemotherapy.

The majority of human malignancies remain refractory to current therapeutic regimens. Several animal and human models provide evidence of a dose-response effect of many chemotherapeutic agents in a variety of malignancies. In recent years dose escalation with bone marrow transplant support has provided encouraging evidence that increased doses of antineoplastic agents may overcome clinical drug resistance. However, this approach has been limited by hematologic toxicity. This problem has been abrogated by the development and use of hematopoietic growth factors. These agents now offer the oncologist new treatment opportunities.