항암화학요법제 투여중인 암환자의 빈혈에 대한 Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (Eprex®)의 임상 효과

Abstract

Background : Patients with advanced cancer frequently experience clinically significant anemia, which is often exacerbated by myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Myelosuppressive chemotherapy impairs erythropoiesis which may not fully recover between treatment cycles. Method: In an effort to evaluate a possible role for recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO)in anemic patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, we studied 106 anemic cancer patients receiving cyclic combination chemotherapy in a prospective multicenter, randomized, open labeled, phase III study. Eligibility was restricted to patients with lung cancer, stomach cancer and colon cancer. The patients were randomized to receive conventional support alone(control patients) or rHuEPO(150 u/kg) subcutaneously 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Result : In the 90 patients analyzed to date, response to rHuEPO therapy was assessed by measuring changes in hematocrit level, and transfusion requirements. The increase in hematocrit in the rHuEPO treated group compared with control group was statistically significant(P=.0001) as measured by percentage point of change. Patients with lung cancer or gastrointestinal cancer responded equally well to rHuEPO treatment. There was a trend toward the reduction in mean units of blood transfused per patient during week 4 and 8 therapy in rHuEPO-treated patients compared with control patients (0.11±0.07 u versus 0.58 ±0.20 u pConclusion: We conclude that rHuEPO is safe and effective for reversing anemia related to chemotherapy for cancer.