Question

A patient with a malignancy is undergoing chemotherapy. The platelet counts were reduced after the previous cycle of chemotherapy. Which of the following drugs can be used to treat this patient?

• A. Oprelvekin (IL-11
• B. Filgrastim
• C. Erythropoietin
• D. Amifostine

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

A patient undergoing chemotherapy is experiencing reduced platelet counts due to the treatment. This condition is known as thrombocytopenia, which is a common side effect of chemotherapy because it can damage the bone marrow where blood cells are produced.

The drugs listed in the options have different roles:

• Oprelvekin (IL-11): This drug is specifically used to increase platelet counts. Oprelvekin is a recombinant form of Interleukin-11 (IL-11), a cytokine that stimulates the proliferation of megakaryocyte progenitor cells and increases platelet production in the bone marrow, making it suitable for treating chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia.
• Filgrastim: This drug is a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) that stimulates the bone marrow to produce white blood cells, mainly used for treating neutropenia.
• Erythropoietin: This hormone stimulates the production of red blood cells, helpful in treating anemia.
• Amifostine: A cytoprotective agent used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but it does not specifically increase platelet counts.

Given these roles, Oprelvekin (IL-11) is the most suitable choice for treating reduced platelet counts in this patient undergoing chemotherapy.