title: Patterns of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent use for chemotherapy-induced anemia in lung cancer: results of a retrospective Hungarian real-life clinical data analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lung cancer carries a relatively high risk of chemotherapy-induced anemia, one of the most frequent hematological complications. Previous data show a lack of optimal anemia correction in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia. This paper analyzes real-life data considering the prevalence and severity of chemotherapy-induced anemia, together with the frequency and efficacy of erythropoietin treatment of anemia in Hungarian lung cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 482 patients with histological or cytological confirmed lung cancer receiving chemotherapy were collected retrospectively between 1 January and 31 December, 2008. In all, 83 (17%) of them developed chemotherapy-induced moderate to severe anemia (44.6% male, 55.4% female; mean age 70 ± 8.6 years; NSCLC 67.5%, small cell lung cancer 32.5%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 50% of the patients suffering from moderate to severe chemotherapy-induced anemia (hemoglobin below 10 g/dl) did not receive erythropoietin treatment. Chemotherapy had to be postponed due to anemia in 32.26% of the patients receiving erythropoietin supplementation, while this was seen in 41.94% of the group without erythropoietin treatment (p < 0.05). In patients not receiving erythropoietin, the severity of anemia increased, while erythropoietin treated patients maintained acceptable hemoglobin levels after the end of the chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data draws attention to the fact that nowadays chemotherapy-induced anemia is not treated according to current guidelines in many lung cancer cases in Hungary.
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis University, Department of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary. tamasi@pulm.sote.hu
authors.forename: Lilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamási
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Noémi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eszes
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kardos
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budai
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vincze
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losonczy
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szilasi
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006397:Hematinics