From the Guidelines
Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) is the medication that causes an increase in White Blood Cell (WBC) count when dosed every two weeks, typically administered as a single dose of 6 mg subcutaneously per chemotherapy cycle. This medication is a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) that stimulates the bone marrow to produce neutrophils, a type of white blood cell essential for fighting infections 1. The dosing schedule of pegfilgrastim is designed to support the recovery of white blood cells between chemotherapy treatments, which is crucial for patients undergoing chemotherapy who are at risk of developing neutropenia (low neutrophil count) 1.
Some key points to consider when using pegfilgrastim include:
- The medication is typically administered subcutaneously as a single dose of 6 mg per chemotherapy cycle 1
- The dosing schedule is designed to align with many chemotherapy regimens, allowing for white blood cell recovery between treatments while maintaining the therapeutic effectiveness of cancer treatments 1
- Patients should be monitored for potential side effects, including bone pain, headache, and rarely splenic rupture 1
- Patients should report fever, unusual bleeding, or severe pain immediately 1
The use of pegfilgrastim has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients undergoing chemotherapy, particularly in those with a high risk of developing FN 1. The guidelines for the use of pegfilgrastim are outlined in Table 2 and Table 3 of the study, which describe the indications for primary prophylaxis of FN and examples of chemotherapy regimens with a risk of FN of >20% 1.
From the Research
Medication Causing Increase in White Blood Cell (WBC) Count
- Pegfilgrastim is a medication that can cause an increase in WBC count when administered every two weeks, as seen in studies 2, 3, 4.
- Filgrastim is another medication that can stimulate the production of neutrophils, leading to an increase in WBC count, as shown in study 5.
- The use of pegfilgrastim and filgrastim has been well established in clinical practice to support the delivery of chemotherapy, with a significant reduction in the incidence of febrile neutropenia and neutropenia-related complications 6.
Administration Schedule
- Pegfilgrastim can be administered on an every-two-week schedule to maintain a weekly chemotherapy schedule, as demonstrated in study 2.
- Filgrastim can be administered daily for two consecutive days, with a significant increase in WBC count observed in the majority of patients, as seen in study 5.
- The administration of pegfilgrastim every two weeks has been shown to be effective in reducing neutropenia and febrile neutropenia in patients with colorectal cancer receiving every-2-week chemotherapy, as demonstrated in study 4.
Clinical Experience
- The use of filgrastim and pegfilgrastim has been extensively studied in clinical trials, with a significant reduction in the incidence of febrile neutropenia and neutropenia-related complications, as reviewed in study 6.
- The clinical experience with pegfilgrastim has shown that it can be administered safely and effectively every two weeks, with a significant increase in WBC count observed in patients receiving chemotherapy, as demonstrated in studies 2, 3, 4.