Abstract
Cancer-and treatment-related anemia affects many children diagnosed with a variety of malignancies. The incidence of anemia in children with solid tumors or Hodgkin’s disease at the time of diagnosis has been reported to be 51–74% (Hockenberry et al. 2002). Several pediatric studies report a high incidence of anemia (over 50%) requiring intervention with transfusion in children receiving therapy for Wilms’ tumor, leukemia, and osteosarcoma (Borsi et al. 1995; Green et al. 1998; Nachman et al. 1998). Although baseline hemoglobin values differ by age, gender, and type of cancer, a recent European pediatric survey reported over 80% of children receiving chemotherapy were anemic (Michon 2002). It is clearly a common finding at diagnosis and during the course of treatment for childhood cancer.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abels R (1993) Erythropoietin for anaemia in cancer patients. Eur J Cancer 29A [Suppl 2]: S2–S8
Adachi N, et al (1995) Fatal cytomegalovirus myocarditis in a seronegative ALL patient. Acta Paediatr Jpn 37(2): 211–216
Aguilera P (1993) [Blood transfusions in Jehovah’s witnesses]. Rev Med Chil 121(4): 447–451
Albitar S, et al (1995) Subcutaneous versus intravenous administration of erythropoietin improves its efficiency for the treatment of anaemia in haemodialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant 10 [Suppl 6]: 40–43
Almeida-Porada GD, Ascensao JL (1996) Cytomegalovirus as a cause of pancytopenia. Leuk Lymphoma 21(3–4): 217–223
Alpert G, Fleisher GR (1984) Complications of infection with Epstein-Barr virus during childhood: a study of children admitted to the hospital. Pediatr Infect Dis 3(4): 304–307
Beck MN, Beck D (1995) Recombinant erythropoietin in acute chemotherapy-induced anemia of children with cancer. Med Pediatr Oncol 25(1): 17–21
Bennetts G, Bertolone S, Bray G, et al (1995) Erythropoietin reduces volume of red cell transfusions required in some subsets of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia [abstract]. Blood 86 [Suppl 1]: 853a
Blumer J, BS, Adamson PC, et al (2005) Darbopoetin alfo for the treatment of anemia in Pediatric patients with non myeloid malignancies receiving chemotherapy: A phase 1, open-label pharmacokinetic study. In American Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. Washington D.C
Bohlius J, Langensiepen S, Schwarzer G, et al (2005) Recombinant human erythropoietin and overall survival in cancer patients: results of a comprehensive meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst 97: 489–498
Bolonaki I, et al (1996) Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin in children with malignancies. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 13(2): 111–121
Borsi JD, Ferencz T, Csaki C (1995) Tranfusion requirements of children with cancer and the use of recombinant erythropoietin for the prevention and treatment of cytostatics induced anemia in children. Can J Infect Dis 6 [Suppl C]: 235C (abstract)
Bosanquet N, Tolley K (2003) Treatment of anaemia in cancer patients: implications for supportive care in the National Health Service Cancer Plan. Curr Med Res Opin 19(7): 643–650
Buyukpamukcu M, et al (2002) Is epoetin alfa a treatment option for chemotherapy-related anemia in children? Med Pediatr Oncol 39(4): 455–458
Cappelli C, Ragni G, Clerico A (2002) Recombinant human erythropoietin in pediatric oncology. In: Nowrousian M (ed) Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in clinical oncology — scientific and clinical aspects of anemia in Cancer. Springer, Wien New York, pp 313–323
Caro JJ, et al (2001) Anemia as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer: a systemic, quantitative review. Cancer 91(12): 2214–2221
Cazzola M (2000) Mechanisms of anaemia in patients with malignancy: implications for the clinical use of recombinant human erythropoietin. Med Oncol 17 [Suppl 1]: S11–S16
Cella D (1997) The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia (FACT-An) Scale: a new tool for the assessment of outcomes in cancer anemia and fatigue. Semin Hematol 34 [3 Suppl 2]: 13–19
Chow E, et al (1999) Effect of hemoglobin on radiotherapy response in children with medulloblastoma: should patients with a low hemoglobin be transfused? Med Pediatr Oncol 32(5): 395–397
Cohen BJ, et al (1997) Chronic anemia due to parvovirus B19 infection in a bone marrow transplant patient after platelet transfusion. Transfusion 37(9): 947–952
Corbett TJ, et al (1995) Successful treatment of parvovirus B19 infection and red cell aplasia occurring after an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. Bone Marrow Transplant 16(5): 711–713
Cothren C, et al (2002) Blood substitute and erythropoietin therapy in a severely injured Jehovah’s witness. N Engl J Med 346(14): 1097–1098
Csaki C, et al (1998) Recombinant human erythropoietin in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in children with malignant solid tumours. Eur J Cancer 34(3): 364–367
Cunningham RS (2003) Anemia in the oncology patient: cognitive function and cancer. Cancer Nurs 26 [6 Suppl]: 38S–42S
Demetri GD, et al (1998) Quality-of-life benefit in chemotherapy patients treated with epoetin alfa is independent of disease response or tumor type: results from a prospective community oncology study. Procrit Study Group. J Clin Oncol 16(10): 3412–3425
Demetri GD, et al (2002) Benefits of epoetin alfa in anemic breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Clin Breast Cancer 3(1): 45–51
Dische S, et al (1983) Carcinoma of the cervix-anaemia, radiotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen. Br J Radiol 56(664): 251–255
Dunn A, Carter J, Carter H (2003) Anemia at the end of life: prevalence, significance, and causes in patients receiving palliative care. J Pain Symptom Manage 26(6): 1132–1139
Estrin JT, et al (1999) A retrospective review of blood transfusions in cancer patients with anemia. Oncologist 4(4): 318–324
Fanucchi M, et al (1997) Effects of polyethylene glycol-conjugated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor on platelet counts after chemotherapy for lung cancer. N Engl J Med 336(6): 404–409
Gabrilove JL (2001) Hematologic malignancies: an opportunity for targeted drug therapy. Oncologist 6 [Suppl 5]: 1–3
Gabrilove JL, et al (2001) Clinical evaluation of once-weekly dosing of epoetin alfa in chemotherapy patients: improvements in hemoglobin and quality of life are similar to three-times-weekly dosing. J Clin Oncol 19(11): 2875–2882
Glaspy J (1997) The impact of epoetin alfa on quality of life during cancer chemotherapy: a fresh look at an old problem. Semin Hematol 34 [3 Suppl 2]: 20–26
Glaspy J, Cavill I (1999) Role of iron in optimizing responses of anemic cancer patients to erythropoietin. Oncology (Huntingt) 13(4): 461–473; discussion 477–478, 483–488
Grant MJ, Huether SE, Witte MK (2003) Effect of red blood cell transfusion on oxygen consumption in the anemic pediatric patient. Pediatr Crit Care Med 4(4): 459–464
Green DM, et al (1998) Comparison between single-dose and divided-dose administration of dactinomycin and doxorubicin for patients with Wilms’ tumor: a report from the National Wilms’ Tumor Study Group. J Clin Oncol 16(1): 237–245
Groopman JE, Itri LM (1999) Chemotherapy-induced anemia in adults: incidence and treatment. J Natl Cancer Inst 91(19): 1616–1634
Hagihara M, et al (2003) Clinical effects of infusing anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes into patients with severe chronic active EBV infection. Int J Hematol 78(1): 62–68
Hedenus M, et al (2002) Randomized, dose-finding study of darbepoetin alfa in anaemic patients with lymphoproliferative malignancies. Br J Haematol 119(1): 79–86
Henke M, et al (1999) Erythropoietin for patients undergoing radiotherapy: a pilot study. Radiother Oncol 50(2): 185–190
Henke M, et al (2003) Erythropoietin to treat head and neck cancer patients with anaemia undergoing radiotherapy: randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 362(9392): 1255–1260
Henze G, Michon J, Morland B, et al (2002) Phase III randomized study: efficacy of epoetin alfa in reducing blood transfusions in newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol. 21: 387a
Hockenberry MJ, et al (2002) Incidence of anemia in children with solid tumors or Hodgkin disease. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 24(1): 35–37
Hockenberry-Eaton M, Hinds PS (2000) Fatigue in children and adolescents with cancer: evolution of a program of study. Semin Oncol Nurs 16(4): 261–272; discussion 272–278
Johnson PW, et al (1991) The use of erythropoietin in a Jehovah’s Witness undergoing major surgery and chemotherapy. Br J Cancer 63(3): 476
Kaptan K, et al (2001) Successful treatment of severe aplastic anemia associated with human parvovirus B19 and Epstein-Barr virus in a healthy subject with allo-BMT. Am J Hematol 67(4): 252–255
Knauss MD, Walton T, Macon EJ (2002) Switching from i.v. to s.c. epoetin in hemodialysis patients. Am J Health Syst Pharm 59(18): 1783–1784
Knight K, Wade S, Balducci L (2004) Prevalence and outcomes of anemia in cancer: a systematic review of the literature. Am J Med 116 [Suppl 7A]: 11S–26S
Koch WC, et al (1990) Manifestations and treatment of human parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompromised patients. J Pediatr 116(3): 355–359
Kotasek D, et al (2003) Darbepoetin alfa administered every 3 weeks alleviates anaemia in patients with solid tumours receiving chemotherapy; results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study. Eur J Cancer 39(14): 2026–2034
Kronberger M, et al (2002) Reduction in transfusion requirements with early epoetin alfa treatment in pediatric patients with solid tumors: a case-control study. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 19(2): 95–105
Kronberger M, KB, Zoubek A, et al (1995) Prevention of anemia with r-HuEPO in children with Ewing’s or osteogenic sarcoma. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 14: 702
Lelieveld P, et al (1984) Preclinical studies on toxicity, antitumour activity and pharmacokinetics of cisplatin and three recently developed derivatives. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 20(8): 1087–1104
Leon P, et al (1998) Recombinant human erythropoietin for the treatment of anemia in children with solid malignant tumors. Med Pediatr Oncol 30(2): 110–116
Leyland-Jones B (2003) Breast cancer trial with erythropoietin terminated unexpectedly. Lancet Oncol 4(8): 459–460
Littlewood TJ, et al (2001) Effects of epoetin alfa on hematologic parameters and quality of life in cancer patients receiving nonplatinum chemotherapy: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Oncol 19(11): 2865–2874
Littlewood TJ, et al (2003) Epoetin alfa corrects anemia and improves quality of life in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving non-platinum chemotherapy. Hematol Oncol 21(4): 169–180
MacMillan ML, Freedman MH (1998) Recombinant human erythropoietin in children with cancer. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 20(3): 187–189
Michon J (2002) Incidence of anemia in pediatric cancer patients in Europe: results of a large, international survey. Med Pediatr Oncol 39(4): 448–450
Mock V, Olsen M (2003) Current management of fatigue and anemia in patients with cancer. Semin Oncol Nurs 19 [4 Suppl 2]: 36–41
Nachman J, et al (1998) Response of children with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with and without cranial irradiation: a report from the Children’s Cancer Group. J Clin Oncol 16(3): 920–930
Penson RT, Amrein PC (2004) Faith and freedom: leukemia in Jehovah Witness minors. Onkologie 27(2): 126–128
Porter JC, et al (1996) Recombinant human erythropoietin reduces the need for erythrocyte and platelet transfusions in pediatric patients with sarcoma: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Pediatr 129(5): 656–660
Ragni G, Clerico A, Sordi A, et al (1998) Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) in children with cancer: A randomized study [abstract]. Med Pediatr Oncol 31: 274
Rao SP, Miller ST, Cohen BJ (1990) Severe anemia due to B19 parvovirus infection in children with acute leukemia in remission. Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 12(2): 194–197
Razzouk BI, Hord JD, Hockenberry M, et al (2006) Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of quality of life, hematologic end points, and safety of weekly epoetin alfa in children with cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 24: 3583–3589
Rizzo JD, Lichtin AE, Woolf SH et al (2002) Use of epoetin in patients with cancer: evidence-based clinical practice guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology. Blood 100: 2303–2320
Rothmann SA, et al (1985) Effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum on erythropoietin production and hematopoietic progenitor cells. Int J Cell Cloning 3(6): 415–423
Sobrero A, et al (2001) Fatigue: a main component of anemia symptomatology. Semin Oncol 28 [2 Suppl 8]: 15–18
Stasi R, et al (2003) Cancer-related fatigue: evolving concepts in evaluation and treatment. Cancer 98(9): 1786–1801
Stuben G, et al (2003) Impact of anemia prevention by recombinant human erythropoietin on the sensitivity of xenografted glioblastomas to fractionated irradiation. Strahlenther Onkol 179(9): 620–625
Takeshita A, et al (2000) Quantitative expression of erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R) on acute leukaemia cells: relationships between the amount of EPO-R and CD phenotypes, in vitro proliferative response, the amount of other cytokine receptors and clinical prognosis. Japan Adult Leukaemia Study Group. Br J Haematol 108(1): 55–63
Tenenbaum T, et al (2004) Oncological management of pediatric cancer patients belonging to Jehovah’s Witnesses: a two-institutional experience report. Onkologie 27(2): 131–137
Van-Steenkiste J (2003) Pharmacotherapy of chemotherapy-induced anaemia. Expert Opin Pharmacother 4(12): 2221–2227
Varan A, et al (1999) Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment for chemotherapy-related anemia in children. Pediatrics 103(2): E16
Vogelzang NJ, et al (1997) Patient, caregiver, and oncologist perceptions of cancer-related fatigue: results of a tripart assessment survey. The Fatigue Coalition. Semin Hematol 34 [3 Suppl 2]: 4–12
Wolfe J, et al (2000) Symptoms and suffering at the end of life in children with cancer. N Engl J Med 342(5): 326–333
Yilmaz D, et al (2004) A single institutional experience: is epoetin alpha effective in anemic children with cancer? Pediatr Hematol Oncol 21(1): 1–8
Yount S, Lai JS, Cella D (2002) Methods and progress in assessing the quality of life effects of supportive care with erythropoietin therapy. Curr Opin Hematol 9(3): 234–240
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag/Wien
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hastings, C., Feusner, J. (2008). Recombinant human erythropoietin in pediatric oncology. In: Nowrousian, M.R. (eds) Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) in Clinical Oncology. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69459-6_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69459-6_24
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-211-25223-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-211-69459-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)