Epoetin alpha in the treatment of anemia in patients with malignant solid tumors during antitumor drug therapy

• Published in: Medicinskij sovet no. 9; pp. 117 - 125
• Main Authors: Vladimirova, L. Yu, Abramova, N. A., Lyanova, A. A., Storozhakova, A. E., Popova, I. L., Teplyakova, M. A., Tikhanovskaya, N. M., Ryadinskaya, L. A., Kalabanova, E. A., Kabanov, S. N., Udalenkova, I. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Remedium Group LLC 19-06-2022
• Subjects: anemia; antineoplastic therapy; epoetin alpha; erythropoietins; malignant solid tumors
• ISSN: 2079-701X; 2658-5790
• DOI: 10.21518/2079-701X-2022-16-9-117-125

Introduction
. Erythropoietin (EPO) application is a pathogenetic method for anemia correction in cancer patients.
The purpose of study
. Clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Eralfon® (epoetin alpha) in treatment for anemia in patients with malignant solid tumors during medical anticancer therapy.
Materials and methods
. We analyzed the data on anemia treatment with Eralfon® in 184 patients with malignant solid tumors receiving various medical anticancer therapies. Eralfon® was injected subcutaneously 12 000 IU 3 times per week or 40 000 IU once a week. Clinical antianemic effect, the time to maximum antianemic effect, adverse events (AE) were analyzed.
Results
. Patients were stratified by the grade of anemia, stages of treatment, presence of bone metastases, bleeding, previous medical and radiation anticancer therapies, dosage of Eralfon®. The time to effect was shorter in patients under 65. There were no significant differences in efficacy depending on the dosing regimen of Eralfon®. Efficacy was lower in patients with advanced tumors, especially in bone metastases. A history of tumor bleeding, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy prolonged the period of hemoglobin recovery to normal values. Arterial hypertension and venous thrombosis were the most common AE associated with Eralfon®. Eralfon® 12 000 IU 3 times per week caused less frequent complications, with no cases of ossealgia and myalgia.
Conclusion
. Eralfon® demonstrated clinical efficacy in treatment for anemia in patients with solid malignant tumors receiving medical anticancer therapy. Dosage of 12 000 IU 3 times per week provided better control of the antianemic effect and adverse events.