Administration of recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with gynecological cancer before radical surgery.
The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the efficacy of preoperative administration of recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with gynecological cancer.


METHODS
The study included 38 women with gynecological cancer who were divided randomly in two groups. Study group A included 20 women with gynecological cancer who received recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) plus iron supplementation for ten days before surgery and five days postoperatively. Group B (controls) included 18 patients who received only iron supplementation for the same time period. Blood samples were obtained on days -10, -3, 0, +3, +5, +10.


RESULTS
The mean hemoglobin level was significantly higher in group A than in group B on the day of the operation and remained significantly higher postoperatively while an inverse relationship was observed for mean ferritin values in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative administration of rHuEPO in patients with gynecological cancer seems to be effective in the blood management of these patients.
Dousias
V
V
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Stefos
T
T
Navrozoglou
I
I
Staikos
I
I
Ditto
A
A
Paraskevaidis
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D058085:Iron Compounds; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin