Impact of Epoetin-beta on anemia and health-related quality of life in cancer patients: a prospective observational study using the generic 15D instrument.
OBJECTIVE
Cancer-related anemia has a negative impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Our aim was to evaluate prospectively the effect of treatment of anemia with an erythropoietin on the hemoglobin level and HRQoL in cancer patients with anemia.


METHODS
Consecutive patients (N=114) treated for the first time with epoetin (epoetin beta 30000 IU/wk, NeoRecormon®) for anemia during cancer treatment were eligible for study inclusion. Baseline characteristics were collected from patients' records. HRQoL was measured by the generic 15D instrument and fatigue by visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline and four months from the start of the treatment with epoetin. The majority (87%) of patients had solid tumors; 69% with a metastatic disease and 89% disease with comorbidities.


RESULTS
The mean hemoglobin concentration (SD) in blood increased from 96.6 (8.9) g/L to 112.9 (21.2) g/L, by 16.5 (20.6) g/L (p<0.0001). The mean 15D score rose from 0.72 to 0.77. The change was statistically significant (p=0.0047) and clinically important. The mean fatigue VAS score decreased by 16.0 points, or from 55.4 to 38.4 (+24.4) (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Correction of anemia increased the health-related quality of life in anemic cancer patients, as measured with the generic 15D instrument and the fatigue VAS.
Professor of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Tampere University, School of Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 607, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland. pirkko-liisa.kellokumpu-lehtinen@uta.fi.
Johannna
J
Mäenpää
Ulla
U
Puistola
Henrik
H
Riska
Harri
H
Sintonen
Outi
O
Saarni
Eeva
E
Juvonen
Pirkko-Liisa
PL
Kellokumpu-Lehtinen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin
Epoetins; anemia; chemotherapy; quality of life