Recombinant human erythropoietin therapy for anemic cancer patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) would increase the hematocrit, reduce the requirement for transfusion, and improve the quality of life in anemic cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive, cisplatin-based chemotherapy.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-two anemic cancer patients receiving cyclic, cisplatin-containing, myelosuppressive chemotherapy were evaluated. Patients received either r-HuEPO (150 U/kg) or placebo, subcutaneously, three times a week for 3 months. Responses were assessed by measuring changes in hemoglobin/hematocrit, transfusion requirement, and quality of life.


RESULTS
The mean hematocrit increased by 6.0 percentage points in the r-HuEPO group versus 1.3 in the placebo group. A decrease in transfusion requirement did not reach significance over all 3 months, but there was a significant reduction in the percentage of patients transfused in the second and third months (27% r-HuEPO vs. 56% placebo) and a trend toward reduction in the mean total number of units transfused (1.20 units r-HuEPO vs. 2.02 units placebo), suggesting a lag of 1 month before r-HuEPO can affect the transfusion requirement. Pretreatment serum erythropoietin levels were lower in responders than in nonresponders (73.5 IU/L and 86.3 IU/L means, respectively). However, the magnitude of this difference was not helpful in defining which patients were likely to respond. There was a significant improvement in overall quality of life between the two treatment arms in favor of the r-HuEPO-treated group. There were no significant adverse effects associated with r-HuEPO.


CONCLUSIONS
r-HuEPO is safe and can cause a significant improvement in the hematocrit and quality of life of anemic cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive, cisplatin-based chemotherapy. After 1 month of r-HuEPO, there is also a reduction in transfusion requirement.
Henry
D H
DH
Tuttleman Center, Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19146, USA.
Brooks
B J
BJ
Case
D C
DC
Fishkin
E
E
Jacobson
R
R
Keller
A M
AM
Kugler
J
J
Moore
J
J
Silver
R T
RT
Storniolo
A M
AM
Abels
R I
RI
Gordon
D S
DS
Nelson
R
R
Larholt
K
K
Bryant
E
E
Rudnick
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D002945:Cisplatin