PMID- 17852440
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080808
LR  - 20151119
IS  - 1607-8454 (Electronic)
IS  - 1024-5332 (Linking)
VI  - 12
IP  - 6
DP  - 2007 Dec
TI  - Once weekly recombinant human erythropoietin treatment for cancer-induced anemia 
      in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia receiving maintenance chemotherapy: 
      a randomized case-controlled study.
PG  - 533-41
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer often develop anemia, 
      which can contribute to increased morbidity and reduced quality of life (QOL). 
      Chemotherapy-induced anemia can be successfully treated using recombinant human 
      erythropoietin (rHuEPO). AIM OF THE STUDY: To demonstrate the effectiveness of 
      once-weekly (QW) rHuEPO dosing to effect improved hemoglobin levels, decreased 
      transfusion use, and improved functional outcomes and QOL in pediatric leukemic 
      patients (ALL) receiving maintenance chemotherapy. PATIENT AND METHODS: This was 
      a prospective randomized, single-center, open-label, 12-week case-control study 
      of epoetin alfa in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in 
      remission receiving maintenance chemotherapy. Sixty patients were randomly 
      assigned to receive either epoetin alfa (rHuEPO group = 30 cases, 17 males and 13 
      females, age; 6.8 +/- 2.33 years), or no epoetin alfa (control group = 30 cases, 
      16 males and 14 females, age; 6.76 +/- 2.28 years). Both groups were matched as 
      regard age, sex, baseline Hb concentration, remission state, chemotherapy 
      regimen, numbers and amount of blood transfusion, and leukemia state (both were 
      low and standard risk). Epoetin alfa was administered at a dose of 450 IU/kg, 
      once weekly, subcutaneously (s.c.) for 12 consecutive weeks. Endpoints were 
      changes in hematologic and QOL parameters. RESULTS: Among the 30 patients 
      evaluable for hematologic response, the mean increase in Hb from baseline to time 
      of final evaluation was 3.08 +/- 1.48 g/dl (p < 0.001). An increase in Hb of > or 
      = 2 g/dl, in the absence of blood transfusion, occurred in 70% of patients (21 of 
      30 patients) who were on the study for > or = 30 days. The overall response rate 
      (Hb increase > or = 2 g/dl or Hb > or = 12 g/dl in the absence of blood 
      transfusion) was 90% (27 of 30 patients). In 30 patients who were evaluable for 
      QOL assessment, epoetin-alpha therapy was found to significantly (p < 0.001) 
      improve mean cancer linear analog scale (CLAS) scores for energy level, ability 
      to perform daily activity, and overall QOL from baseline to the time of final 
      evaluation. QW epoetin-alpha was found to be well tolerated. CONCLUSION: 
      Treatment with QW epoetin-alpha was found to increase Hb levels, decrease 
      transfusion requirement, and improve functional status and QOL in anemic patients 
      with ALL in maintenance receiving chemotherapy. The once-weekly schedule is 
      convenient, safe, and may reduce the burden on patients, parents, and their 
      caregivers by reducing the number of visits to the clinic.
FAU - Abdelrazik, Nabil
AU  - Abdelrazik N
AD  - Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and BMT unit, Department of Pediatrics, Mansoura 
      University Children Hospital (MUCH), Mansoura, Egypt. 
      nabeelabdelrazik2003@yahoo.com
FAU - Fouda, Manal
AU  - Fouda M
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PL  - England
TA  - Hematology
JT  - Hematology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
JID - 9708388
RN  - 0 (Hemoglobins)
RN  - 0 (Recombinant Proteins)
RN  - 11096-26-7 (Erythropoietin)
RN  - 64FS3BFH5W (Epoetin Alfa)
SB  - IM
MH  - Anemia/*drug therapy/etiology
MH  - Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*adverse effects
MH  - Blood Transfusion
MH  - Child
MH  - Child, Preschool
MH  - Drug Administration Schedule
MH  - Epoetin Alfa
MH  - Erythropoietin/*administration & dosage
MH  - Female
MH  - Hemoglobins/analysis
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/*complications/drug therapy
MH  - Quality of Life
MH  - Recombinant Proteins
MH  - Remission Induction
MH  - Treatment Outcome
EDAT- 2007/09/14 09:00
MHDA- 2008/08/09 09:00
CRDT- 2007/09/14 09:00
PHST- 2007/09/14 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/08/09 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2007/09/14 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 780591759 [pii]
AID - 10.1080/10245330701521572 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Hematology. 2007 Dec;12(6):533-41. doi: 10.1080/10245330701521572.