Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment of anemic cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the mechanism of anemia in patients with cancer and the potential role of recombinant human erythropoietin in its treatment. Dosing, safety, prediction of response, and reimbursement issues also are discussed.


BACKGROUND
Patients with advanced cancer frequently experience significant, chronic anemia that can contribute to overall morbidity. The causes of this anemia are multifactorial, including blood loss, nutritional deficiencies, hemolysis, bone marrow infiltration by tumors, and the anemia of chronic disease. In addition, myelosuppressive chemotherapy can cause or exacerbate this anemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Several clinical studies have demonstrated that the use of recombinant human erythropoietin may prevent or ameliorate anemia by significantly increasing the hematocrit in patients who receive chemotherapy. This can reduce the proportion of patients who require erythrocyte transfusions. In addition, responding patients experience an improvement in quality of life.
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D000465:Algorithms; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012307:Risk Factors
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin