GCSF injections

Hi Bobiboo,

I’m Keith one of the Cancer Information Nurses Specialist’s on the Macmillan Support Line.

I hope you are finding the support from our online community helpful.

I’m sorry you are experiencing theses side effects and the change to the steroid dose from what you’re telling me has made things worse rather than better.

Everyone is affected by a cancer diagnosis and its treatment in so many ways. On this platform it can be difficult to give exact reason for the symptoms you are having.

In a situation like this we would always advise contacting your team as soon as possible to have any new or worsening symptom assessed. Especially when you are saying it’s difficult to cope with.

 You should be able to do this in many ways. You should have been given contact details for your specialist nurse or treatment team day unit .

For other situation where you can’t get through to your specialist nurse or treatment team you should also have be given an emergency chemo support line number who you can contact at any time if you have any concerns regarding your treatment /side effects. If not, you can contact the above usually via the main switch board of the hospital also.

Failing that don’t be reluctant to use your GP, 111 or 999 if you need to as a fall back until you can get in touch with your treatment team  .

Chemotherapy can lower the number of white blood cells in the blood. The main white blood cells that fight infection are called neutrophils. When they are low, you are neutropenic. This means you are more likely to get an infection.

You may have G-CSF during treatment with chemotherapy so that you are neutropenic for a shorter time. G-CSF is not needed with all types of chemotherapy.

The number of white blood cells usually goes back to a normal level between cycles of chemotherapy. But if white blood cell levels are too low, chemotherapy may have to be delayed or given in a lower dose. G-CSF encourages the bone marrow to make white blood cells. This helps to reduce the risk of infection. It also allows chemotherapy treatments to be given on time and at the planned dose.

With COVID G-CSF is sometimes given more regularly to reduce infection risks whilst on chemo also.

Side effect of this drug or any drug for that matter can vary from person to person both in severity as well as actual symptoms. Looking at the information on our website regarding G-CSF, EC and cyclophosphamide will explain this in more detail however the list isn’t endless.

Hence the reason for the importance of getting this sort of thing checked out as soon as possible especially with possible chest pain and SOB.

Ref KM/KH