title: [Treatment of cancer chemotherapy-associated anemia in Japan - conditions and issues].
abstract: Cancer chemotherapy-induced anemia(CIA)is observed in approximately 70%of patients treated with cytotoxic chemo- therapy. The hemoglobin concentration in the peripheral blood is C10 g/dL in 40% of these patients, and C8 g/dL in 23% of these patients. Red blood cell transfusion is performed in 16% of these patients. Since erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA)are not approved in Japan, blood transfusion is the only choice of treatment for CIA. In Northwestern countries, ESA have been utilized for the treatment of CIA for >20 years. Recently, however, the use of ESA has become regulated towing to concerns about the potential life-shortening effects, although ESA are still the treatment of choice for CIA. In this paper, the characteristics of CIA in Japan and the underlying issues have been discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of General Thoracic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshino
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006397:Hematinics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006397:Hematinics