CARBOPLATIN ASSOCIATED ANEMIA TREATED WITH SUBCUTANEOUS ERYTHROPOIETIN - A PILOT-STUDY

In nineteen patients with carboplatin-induced anemia (hemoglobin less than 90 g/l), recombinant human erythropoietin was administered subcut aneously three times a week on an outpatient basis. The initial dose w as 50 Units/kg of body weight. If response was not achieved within 3 w eeks, dose was increased to 75 Units/kg. Using the same criteria furth er escalations to 100 and 150 Units/kg were performed. If there was no response erythropoietin was terminated. Two patients obtained an incr ease of hemoglobin levels greater than 100 g/l, which was considered a s a clinical response in this study, with a dose of 75 U/kg; eleven pa tients needed an erythropoietin dose of 100 U/kg and three a dose of 1 50 U/kg. The other three patients required hemotransfusions and were c onsidered non responders. Hemoglobin increases occurred despite contin uation of carboplatin chemotherapy. In conclusion, subcutaneous eryhtr opoietin is effective and safe in the treatment of carboplatin-induced anemia.