Clinical Application of Recombinant Erythropoietin in Anemic Cancer Patients

Anemia is common in cancer patients and may require treatment for symptomatic palliation. Transfusion has been the mainstay of therapy, but is not without risk. Because erythropoietin levels in cancer-related anemia are inadequate for the degree of anemia, recombinant human erythropoietin has been studied to treat the anemia. Results from these studies are encouraging.