Despite therapeutic improvements and ongoing efforts to develop more efficacious
therapies, the majority of
lung cancer patients face a poor prognosis. Therefore, the primary goal of current treatment is palliation, improvement and maintenance of quality of life (QOL), and (modest) prolongation of survival.
Anemia frequently occurs in
lung cancer patients and has been associated with decreased QOL, impaired treatment outcomes, and shortened survival time. Furthermore,
anemia is a causative factor of tumor hypoxia, which compromises the efficacy of
chemotherapy and
radiotherapy. Thus, correction of even mild
anemia seems to have a beneficial effect on QOL and
cancer treatment outcomes. The current article describes the basis and mechanism for the use of recombinant human
erythropoietin (rHuEPO,
epoetin alfa), a
molecular targeted therapy, for the treatment of
cancer-related
anemia, with a focus on
lung cancer.
Epoetin alfa has proven efficacy and safety in correcting
anemia and improving QOL based on numerous clinical studies and over a decade of clinical practice. In addition, emerging data show that
epoetin alfa may offer potential benefits beyond treating
anemia, specifically in terms of treatment outcomes and cognitive function. Future research needs to be conducted to explore the potential for
epoetin alfa to improve survival time in
lung cancer patients.