Publication Date:
2006-11-16
Description:
INTRODUCTION: DA is widely used to treat anemia in patients undergoing chemotherapy (CT) for non-myeloid malignancies. Three years after the commercialization of DA in France, a study of the pattern of DA use in daily practice was conducted in this population. METHODS: A nationwide, retrospective observational study of DA use and patient outcomes was conducted in 239 centers between September 2004 and May 2005. Adult patients with non-myeloid malignancies, who had received DA for CT-induced anemia for at least three 3- or 4-weekly or at least five 2-weekly CT cycles (min. 9–12 weeks) were studied. Response was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) ≥ 12g/dL or a Hb increase of at least 2 g/dL from baseline to week 6/8. In addition, the proportion of patients achieving a Hb level of ≥ 11 g/dL as suggested by NCCN guidelines was assessed. Hb levels were evaluated at baseline, week 3 and week 6 (CT cycles of 21 days) or week 4 and week 8 (CT cycles of 15 or 28 days). RESULTS: Of 2017 patients recruited, 1865 (92.5%) were evaluable at week 6 or 8. Analyses were conducted on the evaluable patient population. A total of 51% were female and the mean age was 62.5 years [range: 18–96 years]. The most common tumor types were non-myeloid hematological malignancies (25%), lung cancer (21%), breast cancer (16%) and gastrointestinal tumors (14%). A total of 37% of centers were University hospitals, 30% public hospitals, 21% private hospitals and 11% specialized cancer centers. Baseline mean Hb level was 10g/dL [range 5–16.6 g/dL]. A total of 843 patients at week 0 (45.4%) had a Hb
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
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