title: Erythropoietin restores the anemia-induced reduction in radiosensitivity of experimental human tumors in nude mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on the radiosensitivity of human tumor xenografts growing in anemic and nonanemic nude mice was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anemia was induced by total body irradiation ([TBI], 2 x 4 Gy) of mice before tumor implantation into the subcutis of the hind leg. The development of anemia was prevented by rhEPO (750 U/kg s.c.) given 3 times weekly starting 2 weeks before TBI. Fourteen days after fractionated TBI (tumor volume of approx. 40 mm(3)), single-dose irradiation of the tumor with varying doses was performed so that in full dose-response relationship for the probability of tumor cure was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiation-induced anemia (hemoglobin concentration [cHb] = 9.9 g/dl) led to a reduced radiosensitivity compared to controls [49.4 vs. 40.1 Gy radiation dose to control 50% of the tumors (TCD50)]. Upon rhEPO treatment for anemia prevention (cHb = 13.3 g/dl), the TCD50 was 39.8 Gy, illustrating restored radiosensitivity compared to anemic mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data provide further experimental evidence for restored radiosensitivity upon prevention of anemia with rhEPO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, West German Tumor Centre, Universitätsklinikum, Essen, Germany. georg.sueben@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stüben
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pöttgen
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knühmann
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stuschke
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thews
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaupel
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin