Epoetin alfa for the treatment of cancer- and chemotherapy-related anaemia: product review and update.
Anaemia, often associated with chemotherapy, is a common and debilitating disorder in cancer patients. Recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin alfa) was introduced in the 1990s for the treatment of chemotherapy-related anaemia. Data from randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies and large, non-randomised, community-based studies have demonstrated that either of the FDA-approved dosing schedules of epoetin alfa 150 - 300 U/kg three times weekly or 40,000-60,000 U/week s.c., significantly increases haemoglobin levels, reduces transfusion requirements, and improves quality of life in anaemic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy. Guidelines for the effective and safe use of epoetin alfa have been published by major oncology/haematology organisations and are reviewed in this article. Areas of recent and ongoing investigation with epoetin alfa are also covered in this review.
Henry
David H
DH
Joan Karnell Cancer Center, Pennsylvania Hospital, 230 West Washington Square, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. dhhenry@juno.com
D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa