The role of recombinant erythropoietin in childhood cancer.
Anemia in children with cancer is not an uncommon complication and is usually multifactorial in etiology. In numerous trials in adult cancer patients, treatment with recombinant erythropoietin has been shown to increase hemoglobin levels, reduce red blood cell transfusion requirements, and improve quality of life. Much less has been published of its use in the prevention or treatment of cancer-associated anemia (CAA) in children, in whom chemotherapy is usually more intensive and likely to result in greater myelosuppression. This review critically evaluates the published evidence of its use in childhood cancer especially; its safety and efficacy in the prevention and treatment of CAA and some indications for its use in childhood cancer are suggested.
Shankar
Ananth Gouri
AG
Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, NW1 2PG, United Kingdom. ananth.shankar@uclh.nhs.uk
D000367:Age Factors; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D006397:Hematinics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa