ICACT: Epoetin Alfa Improves Exhaustion and Quality of Life in Anaemic Breast Cancer Patients
By: Adrian Burton, Special to DG News

PARIS, FRANCE -- February 2, 2003 -- Epoetin alfa can significantly increase haemoglobin levels and improve quality of life indicators in anaemic breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to German researchers.

"Anaemia is a huge problem for many breast cancer [patients]," said Uwe Reinhardt, head of the department of haematology and oncology at Bayereuther Clinic, Bayereuther, Germany. "They suffer badly from exhaustion and their quality of life can be poor. However, we can remarkably improve their well-being with this substance." Dr. Reinhardt presented the findings here February 1st at the International Congress on Anti-Cancer Therapies. The study looked at data from 109 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. At study entry, all had haemoglobin levels of 9-11.5 g/dL or had a decrease in their haemoglobin levels of 2.5 g/dL or more during their latest chemotherapy cycle.

All patients received 3 x 10,000 Units/week of epoetin alfa subcutaneously for a mean of 12 weeks, during which time haemoglobin levels were monitored and quality of life was assessed.

By the end of treatment, 72.6% of patients had achieved an increase of 2 g/dL or greater -- with many patients showing an increase of 1.4 g/dL by week 4. Patients also achieved significant (p<0.05) improvement in exhaustion, lethargy, mood and interest as determined by patient-, nurse-, and physician-rated cancer linear analogue scales (scale 0-10). Based on the physician-rated scale alone, exhaustion -- perhaps the single most important factor affecting quality of life -- decreased from 7.5 to 4.1, said Dr. Reinhardt.

"Epoetin alfa treatment led to a significant improvement in the quality of life of these patients," he said. "I think we need to start controlling haemoglobin levels that we normally would not. Levels of 8, 9, or 10 g/dL would normally be considered OK. But this and other studies show that the most marked improvement in quality of life comes when haemoglobin levels move from 10 to 12 g/dL."