Epoetin alfa increases hemoglobin levels and improves quality of life in anemic geriatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

Author： Aapro Matti Dale David Blasi Michael Sarokhan Brenda Ahmed Fawzia Woodman Richard

Publisher： Springer Publishing Company

ISSN： 0941-4355

Source： Supportive Care in Cancer, Vol.14, Iss.12, 2006-12, pp. : 1184-1194

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Abstract

To evaluate epoetin alfa (EPO) treatment of anemia in geriatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, a retrospective subgroup analysis was conducted of anemic cancer patients ≥65 years of age from three 16-week community-based studies of thrice-weekly (TIW) or once-weekly (QW) EPO for chemotherapy-related anemia (CRA). Analyses were conducted on the overall geriatric population (≥65 years) and by age subgroup (65–74, 75–84, and ≥85 years), and compared with younger patients (<65 years) for="" each="" individual="" study="" and="" for="" pooled=""> Some 3,634 geriatric patients were compared with 3,467 younger patients. From baseline to final measurement, EPO therapy significantly increased Hb by 2.0 g/dl in patients ≥65 years and 1.9 g/dl in patients <65 years>P<0.0001) and="" reduced="" transfusion="" utilization="" in="" both="" groups="">P<0.006). both="" age="" groups="" also="" had="" significant="" improvements="" in="" quality="" of="" life="" (qol),="" measured="" by="" the="" 100-mm="" linear="" analog="" assessment="" scale="" (lasa).="" in="" younger="" patients,="" mean="" lasa="" changes="" were="" significantly="" greater="" than="" those="" in="" geriatric="" patients="">P<0.05); however,="" qol="" improvements="" in="" both="" age="" groups="" were="" clinically="" meaningful.="" there="" were="" no="" significant="" differences="" across="" geriatric="" age="" subgroups="" or="" between="" tiw="" and="" qw="" regimens="" for="" hb="" change="" or="" qol="" improvement.="" overall="" hematopoietic="" response="" rate="" to="" epo="" was="" 65.4%="" for="" patients="" ≥65 years="" and="" 64.7%="" for="" patients=""><65 years. predictors="" of="" greater="" hematopoietic="" response="" (based="" on="" a="" pooled="" analysis)="" included="" lower="" body="" weight,="" baseline="" hb,="" and="" baseline="" serum="" erythropoietin="" levels;="" better="" tumor="" response;="" and="" history="" of="" epo="" dose="" reduction="" and="" longer="" time="" on=""> Anemic geriatric patients receiving EPO for CRA responded comparably to younger patients <65 years and="" should="" be="" treated="" similarly.="">