The role of recombinant erythropoietin in childhood cancer.

Abstract

Anemia in children with cancer is not an uncommon complication and is usually multifactorial in etiology. In numerous trials in adult cancer patients, treatment with recombinant erythropoietin has been shown to increase hemoglobin levels, reduce red blood cell transfusion requirements, and improve quality of life. Much less has been published of its use in the prevention or treatment of cancer-associated anemia (CAA) in children, in whom chemotherapy is usually more intensive and likely to result in greater myelosuppression. This review critically evaluates the published evidence of its use in childhood cancer especially; its safety and efficacy in the prevention and treatment of CAA and some indications for its use in childhood cancer are suggested.

• Authors: Ananth Gouri Shankar
• Journal: The oncologist (Oncologist) Vol. 13 Issue 2 Pg. 157-66 (Feb 2008) ISSN: 1083-7159 [Print] England
• PMID: 18305061 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Hematinics
• Recombinant Proteins
• epoetin beta
• Erythropoietin
• Epoetin Alfa

Topics

• Age Factors
• Anemia (drug therapy, etiology)
• Child
• Epoetin Alfa
• Erythropoietin (therapeutic use)
• Hematinics (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Neoplasms (complications)
• Recombinant Proteins