Sargramostim (Intravenous)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 6, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Leukine

Available Dosage Forms:

• Powder for Solution

Therapeutic Class: Hematopoietic

Pharmacologic Class: Colony Stimulating Factor

Uses for sargramostim

Sargramostim injection is used to help the bone marrow make new white blood cells. It is a synthetic (man-made) form of a substance that is naturally produced in your body called a colony stimulating factor.

When certain cancer medicines are used to fight cancer cells, they also affect the white blood cells that fight infections. Sargramostim is used to prevent or reduce the risk of infection while you are being treated with cancer medicines. It is also used to help the bone marrow recover faster after a bone marrow transplant or after a peripheral blood progenitor cell collection in cancer patients having stem cell transplant. Sargramostim is also used to improve survival in cancer patients who have been exposed to radiation.

Sargramostim is available only with your doctor's prescription

Before using sargramostim

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For sargramostim, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sargramostim or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of sargramostim injection in children younger than 2 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established, except for use in children exposed to radiation.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of sargramostim injection in the elderly.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking sargramostim, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using sargramostim with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

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