Use of dithiocarbamates to treat myelosuppression

A method for the treatment of myelosuppression resulting from a toxic side effect of a platinum-free cytotoxic drug selected from the group consisting of an antimetabolite, and a DNA synthesis inhibitor, administered to a human, said process comprising administering to said human an effective dosage of about 0.001 to 10 mg/kg of the body weight of said human, of a compound of the formula (I):

• ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6) alkyl groups, (C.sub.3 -C.sub.6) cycloalkyl groups or (C.sub.5 -C.sub.6) heterocycloalkyl groups, or one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, but not both, can be H, or R and R.sup.2, taken together with the N atom, can be a 5-6 membered N-heterocyclic ring which is aliphatic or aliphatic interrupted by a ring oxygen or second ring nitrogen, and M is H or one equivalent of a pharmaceutically acceptable cation, in which case the rest of the molecule is negatively charged, or M is ##STR4## wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are defined in the same manner as R.sup.1 and R.sup.2.