title: Safety update on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents: trials within and outside the accepted indications.
abstract: Certain studies in which erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been given not with the aim of correcting anemia but to achieve higher target levels of hemoglobin have shown significantly poorer survival among treated patients. However, studies in which ESAs were administered with the aim of reducing the need for RBC transfusions in patients with chemotherapy-associated anemia demonstrate that the use of these agents is not associated with any adverse effect on survival when compared with placebo controls. We can therefore be reassured that using ESAs within the labeled indications will not adversely affect patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinic, Division of Medical Oncology, IDIBAPS, Institut Clinic Malalties Hemato-Oncològiques (ICMHO), University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. gascon@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gascón
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017277:Drug Approval; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin