Colony-stimulating factors are given to cancer patients primarily to?

• A. Increase production of certain types of leukocytes
• B. Stimulate activity of NK cells
• C. Decrease TNF production
• D. Increase production of mast cells

Answer: (A)

Colony-stimulating factors are signals that tell the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells. In cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, the bone marrow is often suppressed, leading to neutropenia. CSFs such as G-CSF and GM-CSF stimulate progenitor cells in the bone marrow to proliferate and mature into neutrophils (and related granulocytes), increasing the circulating neutrophil count. This reduces the risk of infection and helps patients maintain chemotherapy schedules. They are not primarily used to boost NK cell activity, decrease TNF production, or increase mast cell numbers, so the main goal is to elevate neutrophil production to protect against bacterial infections during treatment.