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First use of myeloid colony-stimulating factors in humans

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 48, page 1358 (2013)Cite this article

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It is widely believed that the first use of myeloid colony-stimulating factors in humans was sargramostim (GM-CSF) in victims of the Goiania, Brazil radiation accident in 1987.1 GM-CSF was later approved by US FDA in 1991, as was filgrastim (G-CSF). However, with the recent release of previously classified documents from the ex-Soviet Union, we are now able to correct the historical record.

In May 1986, we and colleagues at Clinical Hospital 6 in Moscow treated about 200 emergency personnel exposed to high-dose radiation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Facility.2 Six weeks after the accident, three persons who received an estimated dose of 5 Gy and only supportive care continued to have severe granulocytopenia with life-threatening lung disease, likely from radiation pneumonitis and infection(s), which was unresponsive to antibiotics and anti-fungal and anti-viral drugs.

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References

  1. Butturini A, De Souza PC, Gale RP, Cordiero JM, Lopes DM, Neto C et al Navy Hospital Radiation Team. Use of recombinant granulocyte—macrophage colony stimulating factor in the Brazil radiation accident. Lancet 1988; 2: 471–474.

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  2. Baranov A, Gale RP, Guskova A, Piatkin E, Selidovkin G, Muravyova LI et al. Bone marrow transplantation following the Chernobyl nuclear accident. N Engl J Med 1989; 321: 205–213.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Hematology, Imperial College, London, UK

    R P Gale

  2. Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    A Vorobiov

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  1. R P Gale
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  2. A Vorobiov
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Correspondence to R P Gale.

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Gale, R., Vorobiov, A. First use of myeloid colony-stimulating factors in humans. Bone Marrow Transplant 48, 1358 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.57

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