Chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia in pediatric oncology

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia has long been recognized as a significant problem of cancer therapy, but there is still lack of consensus about the optimal approach to prophylaxis and/or treatment of this important complication. In pediatric oncology, since there are very few studies dedicated to this problem, the knowledge gap is even larger and no final conclusions or pediatric evidence based guidelines are available. Those guidelines that are available consist mostly of experts' personal opinions and data extrapolated from the adult studies. In this review we tried to summarize the existing data and approaches in chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) in pediatric oncology.

Keywords: CIT; Chemotherapy associated thrombocytopenia; Chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia; Hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia; IL-11; Pediatric oncology; Platelet transfusion; Thrombopoietin.