Treatment strategies for myeloid growth factors and intravenous iron: when, what, and how?

Myeloid growth factors can reduce the risk of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and thus impact the survival of patients with cancer. Patients should be assessed for risk, taking into consideration patient-related risk factors and chemotherapy regimens. Patients stratified as having at least a 20% risk for CIN should be considered for prophylactic growth factors. The NCCN Guidelines for Myeloid Growth Factors provide category 1 recommendations for the daily use of filgrastim, tbo-filgrastim, and pegfilgrastim. Cancer-related anemia can be treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, red blood cell transfusion, or intravenous iron.