This retrospective observational survey assessed, in a routine clinical practice setting, the modalities of treatment with recombinant erythropoietic agents: α erythropoietic agents [epoetin α (Eprex®) and darbepoetin α (Aranesp®)] and epoetin β (NeoRecormon®). Evolution of haematological response parameters such as haemoglobin (Hb) during treatment of anaemic patients with cancer were contrasted for the different agents. Records of 125 consecutive adult cancer patients (42 epoetin α, 40 epoetin β, 43 darbepoetin α) receiving chemotherapy and erythropoietic treatment for anaemia, and treated between September 2003 and February 2004, were analysed. Mean periods of observation of treatment were 103 days (epoetin α), 114 days (epoetin β) and 95 days (darbepoetin α). The mean changes in maximum Hb level during treatment were 2.8 g/dl (epoetin α), 3.3 g/dl (epoetin β) and 2.1 g/dl (darbepoetin α) (P=0.02, epoetin β versus darbepoetin α). The proportions of patients achieving ≥1 g/ dl Hb increases were 85.7% (epoetin α), 87.5% (epoetin β) and 79.1% (darbepoetin α). The mean cumulative doses administered to achieve these increases were 284, 722 IU; 201, 428 IU; and 208, 823 IU [dose calculated (based on equivalent peptide mass) using 1 µg darbepoetin α is equivalent to 200 IU epoetin], respectively. The proportions of patients achieving ≥2 g/dl Hb increases were 66.7% (epoetin α), 77.5% (epoetin β) and 58.1% (darbepoetin α). This survey suggests that in real-life clinical conditions the available erythropoietic agents increase Hb effectively in anaemic patients with cancer, and that epoetin β therapy may have therapeutic advantages over the other agents assessed.

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