Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor

Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor is a medicine that helps your body make more neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections. It is commonly used when neutrophil levels fall because of chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, or certain conditions that cause persistently low neutrophil levels.

Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor works by stimulating the bone marrow, where blood cells are made, to produce and release more neutrophils. Increasing these cells can shorten the time you have very low neutrophil levels and lower the risk of infections in appropriate patients.

Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor is given as an injection under the skin or into a vein. The treatment schedule depends on why you need it and how your blood counts respond. Some forms may be given daily, while longer-acting forms may be given once during a chemotherapy cycle. Follow the schedule prescribed for you.

Bone, muscle, or joint pain can occur during treatment. Serious problems are uncommon but can include severe allergic reactions, breathing problems, kidney problems, enlargement or rupture of the spleen, and a rare condition in which fluid leaks from small blood vessels into nearby tissues. Consult your doctor right away if you develop severe pain in the upper left side of your abdomen or left shoulder, difficulty breathing, sudden swelling, or other severe or unusual symptoms.

Before treatment, tell your doctor if you have sickle cell disease, kidney problems, spleen problems, or a previous serious allergic reaction to Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor or a related medicine. Also tell your doctor if you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. If you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, breastfeeding, or receiving treatment for a child, your doctor will consider your individual circumstances before deciding whether Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor is appropriate.

Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor helps increase neutrophil levels when your body is not making enough of these infection-fighting cells.

• Reduces infection risk: By shortening the time your neutrophil count remains very low, Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor can reduce the risk of serious infections in appropriate patients.
• Supports cancer treatment: It may reduce the need to delay or adjust some chemotherapy treatments because of low neutrophil counts.
• Supports recovery after transplantation: It can help neutrophil levels recover after bone marrow transplantation.
• Helps collect stem cells: It helps move blood-forming stem cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream so they can be collected for transplantation.

• Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
• Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor will be administered by a healthcare professional.
• Do not self-administer it.

Common Side Effects (Usually mild):

• Bone, muscle, or joint pain
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Injection-site redness, swelling, or discomfort

Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away):

• Severe pain in the upper left side of your abdomen or left shoulder, which may be a sign of an enlarged or ruptured spleen
• Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, wheezing, severe rash, or dizziness, which may indicate a serious allergic reaction
• Swelling, reduced urination, or other symptoms that may indicate kidney problems
• Sudden swelling, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or rapid weight gain. These may occur when fluid leaks from small blood vessels into nearby tissues, a rare condition called capillary leak syndrome.
• Severe pain or other symptoms of a sickle cell crisis in people with sickle cell disease