Abstract
Blood cell production is one of the major limiting effects of cell-cycle-specific chemotherapy. By studying the effects of the drugs on a mathematical model of hematopoiesis, a better understanding of how to prevent over-reduction of circulating blood may be investigated.In this model we will use a delay-differential equation developed by Mackey and Glass (1977) to show acceptable chemotherapeutic deses (i.e. survival of the circulating blood cells) as a function of: the period which the drugs are administered; the strength of the dose; and the delay from initiation of blood cell production to its release into the blood stream. We then make qualitative comparisons to know effects of cell-cycle-specific chemotherapy on circulating blood cell elements. Finally, we also consider how the effects of hematopoietic growth factors alter the outcome of the therapy.