(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Cancer patients find themselves in a sort of
catch-22 situation when it comes to treating the anemia common in people with
the disease.
While drugs called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) can cut down on the
need for blood transfusions and improve quality of life, they have also been
associated with serious adverse events like heart attacks and strokes and may
even promote tumor growth.
Now a new study out of Germany is quantifying the problem. Researchers there
pooled data from 53 previous studies involving nearly 14,000 cancer patients,
finding a relative increase in mortality of 17 percent among those taking ESAs.
Among patients currently on chemotherapy, the increase was 10 percent.
“The findings of this individual patient data meta-analysis show that
erythropoiesis-stimulating agents increase mortality in all patients with
cancer, and a similar increase might exist in patients on chemotherapy,” write
the authors.
They believe doctors should prescribe these drugs only on a case-by-case basis.
“In clinical practice, the increased risks of death and thromboembolic events
should be balanced against the benefits of treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating
agents, taking into account each patient’s clinical circumstances and
preferences.”
SOURCE: The Lancet, published online April 30, 2009
