[High-dose induction therapy followed by maintenance with recombinant human erythropoietin for 30 patients with tumor-related anemia].
OBJECTIVE
Anemia is a common complication of cancer patients. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) can alleviate the symptoms of cancer-related anemia. However, the optimal use of rhEPO is still on investigation. This study was to find out the optimal use of rhEPO in anemic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.


METHODS
From May, 2004 to Feb, 2005, 30 patients with cancer-related anemia receiving concurrent chemotherapy were enrolled. This open-labeled, non-randomized, and pilot study evaluated the response rate of induction rhEPO 120,000 U (40,000 U was subcutaneously injected on d1, 3, 5) followed by subcutaneous injection of maintenance dose of 40,000 U once a week for 3 weeks (d8, 15, 22). Hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) were measured before treatment and fortnightly during the treatment.


RESULTS
Mean Hb maintained increasing during treatment. In week 2 (n=29) and week 4 (n=21), there were 27.59% and 61.90% patients, respectively, whose Hb value had increased more than 20 g/L from the baseline (79.56 g/L) and mean Hb were 90.26 g/L and 96.81 g/L respectively (P<0.05). And mean Hct at week 2 and week 4 were 27.01% and 30.17% respectively, which were higher than the baseline (24.29%)(P=0.062 and 0.001 respectively). All patients demonstrated fine tolerance.


CONCLUSIONS
Induction therapy followed by maintenance with rhEPO can improve the level of hemoglobin significantly and quickly in anemic cancer patients.
Xu
Fei
F
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China.
Zhang
Li
L
Xiang
Xiao-Juan
XJ
Wang
Zhi-Qiang
ZQ
Zhou
Zhong-Mei
ZM
Wang
Si-Yang
SY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin