Efficacy and safety of recombinant human erythropoietin-alpha(rHuEPO) in the treatment of cancer anemia

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of recombinant human erythropoietin-alpha(rHuEPO)in the treatment of cancer anemia.Methods Patients with confirmed malignant cancer-related anemia were enrolled in the study.Before chemotherapy,peripheral hemoglobin(hb),less than 110 g/L,was subcutaneously injected with rHuEPO 40 000 U once every week.The treatment lasted for six weeks.At the same time,patients received chemotherapy for at least 2 cycles.The levels of Hb and hematocrit(Hct) were compared after treatment.The changes of normal conditions and adverse events were assessed.The assessment of the quality of life before and after treatment was conducted by using anemia function evaluation(FACT-An) scale.Results After administering rHuEPO,the Hb levels continued to rise in the enrolled patients.At the 2nd and 4th weeks,patients whose Hb value was higher than baseline values(79.56 g/L) and the rate of increase was greater than or equal to 20 g/L, accounted for 26.9% and 61.3%,respectively.At the 2nd and 4th weeks,the average of Hct increased.Patients′ quality of life improved,and all the patients were well tolerated.Conclusion Induction therapy followed by maintenance with rHuEPO can improve the level of hemoglobin significantly and quickly in anemic cancer patients.