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Epoetin alfa for chemotherapy-induced anemia: assessment of two equivalent dosing regimens
1 Independent, working at Pennsylvania Oncology Hematology Associates, Philadelphia, PA;
2 Department of Medicine, Joan Karnell Cancer Center, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Anemia is a frequent complication in patients with cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and can have serious adverse sequelae if left untreated. According to the most recently updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines for cancer- and treatment-related anemia, treatment with erythropoietic therapy should be considered for patients whose hemoglobin concentration is < 11 g/dL. Epoetin alfa is a recombinant glycoprotein hormone identical in biologic activity to endogenous erythropoietin. In the United States, epoetin alfa administered either three times weekly or once weekly is approved for the treatment of anemia in patients with nonmyeloid malignancies when anemia is due to the effect of concomitantly administered chemotherapy. Results from randomized, controlled clinical trials and large community-based studies demonstrate that both dosage regimens have similar efficacy and safety profiles in treating chemotherapy-related anemia. This review summarizes the clinical data from these key studies of each dosage regimen.
| Commun Oncol 2007;4:129–135 | full text |  199 kb |