Serum erythropoietin levels in gynecologic cancer patients during cisplatin combination chemotherapy.
To investigate the participation of erythropoietin (Epo) in anemias induced by cisplatin combined chemotherapy, serum Epo levels were measured by radioimmunoassay on a serial basis in eight patients with gynecologic cancer undergoing this chemotherapy. The data demonstrated that serum Epo levels, the mean level before chemotherapy being 20.1 +/- 6.6 mU/ml, were significantly elevated after the first course of the chemotherapy (52.1 +/- 32.2 mU/ml; P less than 0.05) when anemia was not evident. The serum Epo level continued to increase as the course of chemotherapy advanced, and furthermore, patients with normocytic anemia after a multiple course of this chemotherapy still showed high Epo levels (115.2 +/- 53.5 mU/ml) that were appropriate for given degrees of anemia. It is suggested that cisplatin combined chemotherapy caused the elevated serum Epo levels through an unknown mechanism other than anemia, and that in anemias induced by cisplatin, Epo deficiency is not evident.
Hasegawa
I
I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Tanaka
K
K
D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D004921:Erythropoietin; D002945:Cisplatin