The importance of dose and schedule in cancer chemotherapy: Haematological cancer

Haematological cancers have been the prototype malignant diseases in which dose-intensive strategies have been tested. To date, dose intensification within the conventional dose range has not been shown to result in improved long-term survival in prospective studies. The use of haemopoietic growth factors is important in maintaining adequate doses of chemotherapy, and reducing life-threatening complications, but growth-factor supported dose intensification has yet to be shown to improve outcome in randomised clinical trials. Dose escalation with high-dose therapy and stem cell support has produced encouraging results in several haematological malignancies, Preliminary evidence is also suggesting that it may Improve long-term disease-free survival for some patients, but the results of ongoing clinical trials are needed to confirm these encouraging early results.