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Early treatment with rhIL-11 in heavily pretreated patients with gynecologic cancer
Gynecologic Oncology Specialists of Michigan, Lansing, MI
A retrospective analysis was performed in a private practice setting. The charts of 54 women who had been heavily pretreated for gynecologic cancers were reviewed to evaluate the relationship between recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) treatment and changes in chemotherapeutic regimens (including dose reductions and/ or interruptions), platelet counts at nadir, rates of transfusion, and adverse events. The most common diagnosis was ovarian cancer (72%). Patients receiving preemptive rhIL-11 at course 1 cycle 1 (C1C1; mean age, 74.6 ± 13.5 years) were compared with patients receiving rhIL-11 later (C1C2 through C4C1; mean age, 59.5 ± 15.0 years). Despite their older age, C1C1 patients had higher platelet counts at nadir than did other patients (111.7 × 10³/µL vs 48.3 × 10³/µL, respectively; P < 0.001) and fewer dose reductions and platelet transfusions. The most commonly reported adverse events were edema, dyspnea, tachycardia, conjunctival injection, palpitations, atrial arrhythmia, and pleural effusions.This retrospective chart review suggests that early rhIL-11 treatment during chemotherapy may improve platelet counts at nadir, resulting in fewer interruptions in treatment.
| Commun Oncol 2006;3:357–362 | full text |  115 kb |