Efficacy of erythropoietin in the correction of anemia in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Relevance: Anemia is a common complication in oncology patients, reducing their quality of life and potentially decreasing the effectiveness of antitumor therapy. Its prevalence among patients with solid tumors reaches 40%, and during chemotherapy, it increases to 54%. The deterioration in patients’ condition is associated with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, making anemia correction a crucial task. The primary pharmacological method for correction is using erythropoietins, which stimulate the proliferation of erythroid progenitor cells.

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of erythropoietin in correcting anemia in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, focusing on improving treatment outcomes by correcting hematological parameters in real clinical practice.

Methods: This prospective, non-interventional study included 133 patients from two clinical centers in Kazakhstan. Inclusion criteria: age ≥18 years, histologically confirmed solid tumor, anemia (Hb ≤100 g/L), and ongoing chemotherapy. The sample included 100 (75.2%) women and 33 (24.8%) men, with a median age of 60 years (52.0–67.5). The drug was administered 3 to 5 times in 78.2% of patients and 1 to 2 times in 21.8% of patients. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon criteria, with a significance level of p<0.05.

Results: Data from 133 patients were analyzed. An increase in hemoglobin and erythrocyte levels was observed in 65.4-78.2% of patients. In the first and third months, hemoglobin levels increased by 0.6 g/L (p<0.001), and erythrocyte levels increased by 0.2-0.3 × 10¹²/L (p<0.001). 33.1% of patients received the drug five or more times. No serious adverse events were recorded.

Conclusion: Erythropoietin demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in clinical parameters, confirming its effectiveness and safety in correcting anemia in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy. This contributes to an improved quality of life and better treatment outcomes.