Comparable efficacy of epoetin alfa for anemic cancer patients receiving platinum- and nonplatinum-based chemotherapy: a retrospective subanalysis of two large, community-based trials.
BACKGROUND
Data from two large, community-based clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy of epoetin alfa in anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed to determine if clinical outcomes were different depending on whether chemotherapy was platinum- or nonplatinum-based.


METHODS
Patients received epoetin alfa 150-300 IU/kg (Glaspy: Study 1; n = 2,342) or 10,000-20,000 IU (Demetri: Study 2; n = 2,370) s.c. three times each week for 4 months. Efficacy end points were changes in transfusion requirements, hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and quality of life (QOL). A total of 4,298 out of 4,712 patients (platinum-based, n = 1,601; nonplatinum-based, n = 2,697), who both received chemotherapy and had available data, were eligible for this retrospective analysis.


RESULTS
Baseline characteristics across groups were comparable with few exceptions, which were anticipated in view of the characteristics of the two different chemotherapy types. Decreases in transfusion requirements after 2, 3, and 4 months were significant, regardless of chemotherapy type. Mean increases in Hb level from baseline to final evaluation ranged from 1.6 g/dl to 2.0 g/dl across study groups and were significant, regardless of chemotherapy type. QOL, as measured by the Linear Analog Scale Assessment (LASA), improved significantly by 20%-43%, regardless of chemotherapy type, and improvements were associated with increases in Hb. Epoetin alfa was well tolerated in both studies, regardless of chemotherapy type.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of anemic cancer patients with epoetin alfa results in significant reduction in transfusion requirements, increase in Hb levels, and improvements in QOL, regardless of whether the chemotherapy is platinum- or nonplatinum-based.
Glaspy
John
J
University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Degos
Laurent
L
Dicato
Mario
M
Demetri
George D
GD
D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010984:Platinum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D010984:Platinum; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa