Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment-Related Bone Marrow Toxicities

A major consequence of administering increasingly aggressive therapies (chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer is the adverse effects on the bone marrow that may lead to neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and/or anemia. Myelosuppression or bone marrow toxicity may also lead to dose reduction of chemotherapy and/or treatment delays in both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, diminishing the efficacy of therapy in the curative setting. In this setting, the use of hematopoietic growth factors may thus be beneficial.