and evaluation of possible pro-survival activities of PGE2, EGF, TPO and FLT3L on human hematopoiesis.

Myelosuppression is a major and frequently dose-limiting side effect of anticancer therapy and is responsible for most treatment-related morbidity and mortality. In addition, repeated cycles of DNA damage and cell death of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, followed by compensatory proliferation and selection pressure, lead to genomic instability and pave the way for therapy-related myelodysplastic syndromes and secondary acute myeloid leukemia. Protection of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from chemo- and radiotherapy in patients with solid tumors would reduce both immediate complications and long-term sequelae.