Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: an overview.

Recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor used for the reduction or prevention of cyclic neutropenia in cancer patients. Neutropenia is a major factor contributing to infection, morbidity, and mortality. Neutropenia also reduces the dosage of cytotoxic agents and often interrupts the course of treatment. The recent development of cloning G-CSF has been a major advancement in treating cyclic neutropenia. This article focuses on the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and the clinical applications of G-CSF.