Comparison of granulocyte-colony, stimulating factor and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor in the treatment of chemotherapy extravasation ulcers.

The results of perilesional granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor application in a patient with chemotherapy extravasation ulcers are reported. A 64-year-old patient with recurrent ovarian carcinoma was admitted to our department in February 1999. In June 1998, six cycles of chemotherapy were applied to the patient after surgery. At the first cycle, two ulcers appeared on both lower arms related to doxorubicin extravasation despite all interventions. When the patient was admitted to in our department, we observed an ulcer on the distal part of the right lower arm with a dimension of 1.5x2 cm and another on the proximal portion of the left lower arm with a dimension of 2.5x3 cm. Of those ulcers, the bigger and deeper one on the left was treated with weekly 400 mcg granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor subcutaneously for three weeks. The lesion completely disappeared in the fourth week. The other ulcer that was left for control on the right arm was treated with weekly 48 M.U. granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for four weeks. This ulcer did not reduce in size. As a result granulocyte-colony stimulating factor did not affect the healing of chemotherapy extravasation ulcers, as did granulocyte macrophage-stimulating factor.