Hematopoietic growth factors in autologous bone marrow transplantation.

The availability of recombinant human hematopoietic growth factors (rhHGFs) for clinical use has the potential to significantly decrease the morbidity and cost of autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) and to make this therapeutic modality available to a broader patient population. Three rhHGFs currently have Food and Drug Administration-approved indications, although only one has a specific indication for ABMT. Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor have been used in several trials of ABMT. Recombinant human erythropoietin is less well studied to date in the setting of ABMT. Several investigational rhHGFs, including interleukin-3, -6, and -11, PIXY 321 (a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/interleukin-3 hybrid), and kit ligand (also known as "stem cell factor"), have the potential for affecting multiple lineages.