Anaemia is associated with poor cancer control, particularly in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Michael Henke from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and colleagues investigated whether the treatment of anaemia with epoetin beta could improve the outcome of curative radiotherapy among patients with head and neck cancer.
In a multicentre trial among 351 patients from Austria, Germany, France, and Switzerland, individuals were given either epoetin beta (to treat anaemia) or placebo around two weeks before radiotherapy. Although epoetin beta was effective in treating anaemia (by causing an increase in haemoglobin concentration), patients given epoetin beta fared less well-patients given placebo had around a 60% better chance of progression-free survival.
Michael Henke comments: "Although epoetin beta efficiently corrects anaemia among patients undergoing curative radiotherapy, it is not associated with improved cancer control or survival. On the contrary, erythropoietin might impair disease control when manifest cancer is irradiated. Future erythropoietin trials should thus carefully analyse cancer control and survival, and investigations on the underlying mechanism of the clinically relevant haemoglobin effect should be reinforced."
Contact: Dr Michael Henke, Abteilung Strahlenheilkunde, Radiologische Universitatsklinik, Hugstetter Strasse 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany;
T) 49-761-270-3862;
F) 49-761-270-3911;
E) henke@uni-freiburg.de
The Lancet