¹Department of Haematology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK

Correspondence: Dr TJ Littlewood, Department of Haematology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK. E-mail: tim.littlewood@orh.nhs.uk

Received 6 February 2007; Revised 30 May 2007; Accepted 23 July 2007; Published online 10 September 2007.

Abstract

High-dose chemotherapy is an established treatment for patients with myeloma. In randomized trials it has been shown to prolong disease-free survival by around 1 year compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Physically and psychologically high-dose therapy takes its toll on the patient who may be in hospital for around 3 weeks and take some weeks or months to convalesce after discharge. Granulocyte colony stimulating factors and erythropoietic stimulating agents will speed neutrophil and red cell recovery, respectively, when used at an appropriate time after the high-dose chemotherapy. The clinical value of these laboratory findings is uncertain and the role of these agents after high-dose chemotherapy remains a subject for debate.