Haematopoietic growth factors in oncology:Present and future

Hematopoietic growth factors are glycoproteins that play an essential role in hematopoiesis by regulating proliferation and differentiation of (hematopoietic) stem cells and more differentiated cells. After cloning of the genes for various hematopoietic growth factors their production could be scaled up with the help of recombinant DNA technology. The interest for the growth factors in oncology derives from the fact that these factors might have an antitumour effect and a stimulatory effect on hematopoiesis. This last aspect is relevant, as one of the most important side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs is meylosuppression. A number of these growth factors have already obtained a place in the teatment of patients with cancer. In the upcoming years a wealth of new data will become available concerning already known and new growth factors.