Impact of therapy with epoetin alfa on clinical outcomes in patients with nonmyeloid malignancies during cancer chemotherapy in community oncology practice. Procrit Study Group.

Abstract

Epoetin alfa is effective in improving the functional status and quality of life in anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, as well as increasing hemoglobin level and decreasing transfusion requirements. Improvement in functional status can be attributed to an increase in hemoglobin level, demonstrating that quality of life in this group of patients can be improved by aggressively treating anemia. Further studies will be required to define the optimal doses and schedules for epoetin alfa.

A dose- and schedule-finding study of darbepoetin alpha for the treatment of chronic anaemia of cancer

“…However, the relation between FACT-F scores, particularly the reduction in fatigue, and haemoglobin concentration seen here is consistent with other reports that have found improved alleviation of patient-reported symptoms of anaemia with increasing haemoglobin levels (Glaspy et al, 1997;Gabrilove et al, 2001). Confirmatory studies are needed to investigate whether the observed increases in haemoglobin translate into reductions in transfusion requirements and/or improvements in HRQOL.…”

“…The eligibility criteria minimised the entry of patients with any significant transfusion requirement, probably reducing the number of transfusions over the course of the 12-week study period as well, and consequently minimising differences between the placebo and treatment groups. The transfusion rates in the darbepoetin alpha groups are generally similar to those reported in the literature for patients treated with rHuEPO (Glaspy et al, 1997;Demetri et al, 1998;Littlewood et al, 2001;Quirt et al, 2001).…”

Anaemia and its functional consequences in cancer patients: current challenges in management and prospects for improving therapy

“…In an open-label study, in which rHuEPO was administered to 2342 patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy, patients' mean energy levels increased by 38%, activity increased by 32%, and overall QOL increased by 24% after 4 months of therapy, all significant increases (P < 0.001) (Glaspy et al, 1997). A later study involving 2370 patients reported similar results, noting that increased haemoglobin values from baseline were associated with improved activity level, energy, and overall well-being (Figure 1).…”

“…Numerous studies, both placebo-controlled and open-label, have consistently shown that increasing haemoglobin values has a measurable and significant effect on QOL parameters in cancer patients whether they are receiving (Abels, 1993;Case et al, 1993;Henry and Abels, 1994;Leitgeb et al, 1994;Glaspy et al, 1997;Demetri et al, 1998) or not receiving concurrent chemotherapy (Ludwig et al, 1995). In all of these studies, haemoglobin was increased by the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, epoetin alfa).…”

“…Large-scale clinical trials designed to study the effect of rHuEPO on QOL in the setting of community oncology practice rather than in the more artificial environment of a phase 3 clinical trial have provided compelling and consistent data showing the importance of treating anaemia in cancer patients (Glaspy et al, 1997;Demetri et al, 1998). In an open-label study, in which rHuEPO was administered to 2342 patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy, patients' mean energy levels increased by 38%, activity increased by 32%, and overall QOL increased by 24% after 4 months of therapy, all significant increases (P < 0.001) (Glaspy et al, 1997).…”