Effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor as prophylaxis on adjuvant chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide

Objective: To compare the efficacy of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) versus recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) as prophylaxis of adjuvant chemotherapy (EC regimen: epirubicin combined with cyclophosphamide)-induced neutropenia in patients with breast cancer, and examine the safety. Methods: A total of 135 breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with EC regimen between October 2013 and March 2015 were divided into prophylactic group (n = 54) and non-prophylactic group (n = 81). The prophylactic group was further divided into PEG-rhG-CSF group (n = 19) and rhG-CSF group (n = 35). The PEG-rhG-CSF group was defined as being given PEG-rhG-CSF of single dose (3 mg) subcutaneously 48 hours after the end of the chemotherapy; the rhG-CSF group was defined as being given rhG-CSF 5 μg·kg–1·d–1 subcutaneously 48 hours after the end of the chemotherapy and for 3-5 days. Results: There were significant differences in the incidence rates of grade 3/4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) between the prophylactic group and non-prophylactic group  (both P 0.05). Conclusion: Breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with EC regimen should be prophylactically treated with G-CSF. PEG-rhG-CSF, which can prevent neutropenia effectively, is worth to be widely applied in clinical practice. DOI:10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2016.33.526