Ovarian Cancer Treatments – Hematopoietic Growth Factors
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Hematopoietic Growth Factors for Ovarian Cancer
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we offer Hematopoietic Growth Factors (HGFs) as one of many innovative ovarian cancer treatment options. Hematopoietic growth factors are hormone-like substances that occur naturally in the body and can be used to encourage an improved immune system response against cancerous ovarian cells.
The word "hematopoietic" means pertaining to, or affecting, the growth of blood cells. The hematopoietic system consists of tissues, including bone marrow and lymph nodes, involved in the production of blood.
Hematopoietic growth factors support hematopoietic (blood cell) colony formation in vitro. This group of substances includes erythropoietin, interleukin-3, and colony-stimulating factors (CSFs).
Erythropoietin stimulates production of erythrocytes, or red blood cells. Interleukin-3 and CSFs have overlapping capabilities. These substances can affect progenitor cells (“parent” cells that will develop into a specific type of cell) of several blood cell lines, cause blood cells to mature, and affect cells outside the hematopoietic system.
CTCA oncologists may recommend hematopoietic growth factors to help promote bone marrow proliferation in ovarian cancer patients affected by aplastic anemia. Your CTCA oncologist may also use HGFs following cytotoxic chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
In addition, chemotherapy drugs can damage the body’s ability to make red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Hematopoietic growth factors stimulate blood cell production and enable our doctors to increase the doses of anti-cancer drugs without increasing the risk of infection or the need for transfusion with blood products.
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