[Effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium receiving methotrexate, etoposide and cisplatinum combination chemotherapy].

We determined the effective method of administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium receiving methotrexate, etoposide and cisplatinum (MEC) therapy. Recombinant human G-CSF was administered at 2 micrograms/kg subcutaneously starting after the white blood cell count was less than 3,000/mm3 (short administration) or starting immediately after finishing MEC therapy (prophylactic administration). The median white blood cell nadir for the control group, short administration group and prophylactic administration group, was 275 +/- 77, 250 +/- 317 and 2,066 +/- 47/mm3, respectively. The number of days with a white blood count of less than 1,000/mm3 for the control group, short administration group and prophylactic administration group was 6.6 +/- 0.6, 4 +/- 2 and 0.9 +/- 0.5 days, respectively. The difference between the control group and prophylactic administration group was statistically significant (p < 0.01). These findings indicated that the prophylactic administration of rhG-CSF following MEC therapy was effective for preventing leukopenia. Other side effects of stomatitis, diarrhea and pneumonia were also decreased using rhG-CSF after MEC therapy.