Abstract: A process for preventing or ameliorating the myelosuppression which can occur in a mammal such as a human cancer patient being treated with a platinum-free antineoplastic drug is provided, comprising administering an effective dosage of a dithiocarbamate compound to said mammal, preferably subsequent to administration of the cytotoxic drug.

Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining one or more bone marrow cell growth factors having granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cell colony stimulating activity, said process comprising: (a) adding to the culture medium of an in vitro, established bone marrow culture a growth factor-stimulating amount of a dithiocarbamate; (b) separating the said dithiocarbamate from the in vitro treated bone marrow culture, adding fresh culture medium to said in vitro treated bone marrow culture, and permitting the concentration of said growth factor or factors to increase in said fresh culture medium; and (c) isolating said growth factor or factors from said fresh culture medium.

Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining one or more bone marrow cell growth factors having granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cell colony stimulating activity, said process comprising: (a) adding to the culture medium of an in vitro, established bone marrow culture a growth factor-stimulating amount of a dithiocarbamate; (b) separating the said dithiocarbamate from the in vitro treated bone marrow culture, adding fresh culture medium to said in vitro treated bone marrow culture, and permitting the concentration of said growth factor or factors to increase in said fresh culture medium; and (c) isolating said growth factor or factors from said fresh culture medium.

Abstract: Various types of biological treatments, including antineoplastic treatments with antineoplastic drugs, can result in damage to the blood-forming function of the bone marrow. This damage can be reversed, at least to some degree, with an effective amount (preferably an extremely low dose) of a pharmaceutically acceptable dithiocarbamic compound, including a compound of the formula R.sub.1 R.sub.2 NCSSM or R.sub.1 R.sub.2 NCSS-SCSNR.sup.3 R.sup.4, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are the same or different aliphatic or cycloaliphatic or heterocycloaliphatic groups, unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxyl, or one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and one of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 can be H, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.3 and R.sup.

Abstract: Various types of biological treatments, including antineoplastic treatments with antineoplastic drugs, can result in damage to the blood-forming function of the bone marrow. This damage can be reversed, at least to some degree, with an effective amount (preferably an extremely low dose) of a pharmaceutically acceptable dithiocarbamic compound, including a compound of the formula R.sub.1 R.sub.2 NCSSM or R.sub.1 R.sub.2 NCSS--SCSNR.sup.3 R.sup.4, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are the same or different aliphatic or cycloaliphatic or heterocycloaliphatic groups, unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxyl, or one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and one of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 can be H, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.3 and R.sup.