White Blood Cell Boosters

White blood cell boosters are drug therapies that are similar to substances produced by the body. They can help your body make more of its natural white blood cells to help protect against infection. White blood cell boosters can be administered one day after chemotherapy, starting with the first cycle to help strengthen your body's natural defense system and reduce your risk of infection. Neutropenia, or low number of a certain type of white blood cells, is a common side effect of some types of chemotherapy and can disrupt your chemotherapy schedule. By receiving white blood cell booster right from the beginning of chemotherapy, white blood cell counts may return to a sufficient level faster, thereby reducing your chance of infection. Ask your doctor whether proactive therapy with a white blood cell booster is right for you.

To learn more about managing blood related side affects please see information on complete blood count (CBC).

The two most commonly prescribed and FDA-approved white blood cell boosters are Neulasta^® (pegfilgrastim) and NEUPOGEN^® (Filgrastim). NEUPOGEN^® must be administered every day for several days, sometimes up to 2 weeks, following chemotherapy.¹⁹ Neulasta^® requires fewer shots than NEUPOGEN^®—only one with each chemotherapy cycle.¹⁸ With Neulasta^®, this less frequent injection schedule may mean fewer visits to the doctor for injections.

Studies have proven the effectiveness of both Neulasta^® and NEUPOGEN^® in helping to protect patients with most types of cancers (such as breast cancer, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease) against infections due to a low white blood cell count when receiving strong chemotherapy.^18-21 Neulasta^® and NEUPOGEN^® may not be appropriate for some types of cancer.

Neulasta^® (pegfilgrastim)

Neulasta^® is a prescription medication that helps your body make more white blood cells, which support your natural defense system to help protect you against infection.

Neulasta^® (pegfilgrastim) is prescribed to reduce the risk of infection (initially marked by fever) in patients with some tumors receiving strong chemotherapy that decreases the number of infection-fighting white blood cells.

Support for your natural defense system is important because an infection can delay your chemotherapy or keep you from getting your full dose. Chemotherapy patients with a sufficient white blood cell count have a better chance of sticking to their chemotherapy schedule. And most doctors agree that is the first step to success.^2,4-8

Find out more about the risks associated with low white blood cell count.

Only your doctor can tell you if Neulasta^® is right for you.
To learn more, please see product information for Neulasta^® (pegfilgrastim) or visit www.neulasta.com.

Neulasta^® does have some side effects.

Important product safety information
Ruptured spleen (including fatal cases), a serious lung problem called acute respiratory distress syndrome, and sickle cell crises have been reported. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you have abdominal or shoulder tip pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, or a fast rate of breathing. In rare cases, serious allergic reactions can occur, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, sweating, and hives. Sometimes these symptoms could come back within days after stopping treatment for the allergic reaction. If you start to have any of these symptoms, call your doctor or seek emergency care right away.

In a clinical study, mild to moderate bone pain occurred in 31% of the patients taking Neulasta^® and in 26% of the patients taking a placebo injection. In most cases, bone pain was controlled with a non-narcotic pain reliever, such as acetaminophen. Other common side effects reported by patients in the study taking either Neulasta^® or placebo were consistent with the underlying cancer diagnosis and its treatment with chemotherapy, with the exception of bone pain. If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.


NEUPOGEN^® (Filgrastim)

Like Neulasta^®, NEUPOGEN^® is a prescription medication, given by injection that helps your body make more white blood cells to help protect you against chemotherapy-related infection.

NEUPOGEN^® (Filgrastim) is prescribed to reduce the risk of infection (initially marked by fever) in patients with some tumors receiving strong chemotherapy that decreases the number of infection-fighting white blood cells.

NEUPOGEN^® is usually given on a daily basis for 7 to 14 days, until your white blood cell count improves, starting 24 hours after you complete the last dose of chemotherapy in each cycle.¹⁹ NEUPOGEN^® can be given with every cycle of strong chemotherapy, beginning with the first cycle.

Only your doctor can tell you if NEUPOGEN^® is right for you.
To learn more, please see product information for NEUPOGEN^® (Filgrastim).

With NEUPOGEN^®, as with any medication, you may experience some side effects.

Important Product Safety Information

Ruptured spleen and sickle cell crises have been reported; some cases have been fatal. A serious lung problem called acute respiratory distress syndrome has also been reported. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you have abdominal or shoulder tip pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, or a fast rate of breathing. In rare cases, serious allergic reactions can occur, causing a rash, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, and sweating. If you start to have any of these symptoms, call your doctor or seek emergency care right away.

In clinical trials, the most common side effect was mild to moderate bone pain, reported in 24% of patients. In most cases, bone pain was controlled with a non-narcotic pain reliever, such as acetaminophen. If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.