Granulocyte–Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor after Initial Chemotherapy for Elderly Patients with Primary Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Abstract

Elderly patients with primary acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) are less likely to enter remission than younger adults, in part because of a higher mortality rate related to severe myelosuppression. Granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been shown to shorten the duration of neutropenia and decrease infectious complications when administered after chemotherapy to patients with lymphomas and solid tumors.