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rhEPO in surgical oncology

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Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) in Clinical Oncology

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Abstract

Anemia is common in cancer patients and is often considered merely secondary to the underlying malignancy. Anemia associated with cancer varies widely with stage of disease and/or treatment and in general will develop slowly with hemoglobin values ranging from 8 to 10 g/dL (Mercuriali and Inghilleri 2002). But because anemia has an independent impact on length and quality of life (QOL) (Nissenson et al. 2003), anemia in cancer patients has been more closely scrutinized in order to improve its evaluation and treatment. Blood transfusion appears to overcome the negative prognostic effects of low presenting hemoglobin levels (Grogan et al. 1999), but is often associated with a higher risk of infection. Blood transfusions remain particularly helpful in the context of either severe anemia (Hb < 8.0 g/dL) or life-threatening anemia (Hb < 6.5 g/dL), particularly when the condition is aggravated by bleeding as a result of a surgical intervention. This chapter, focused on the use of human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO) in surgical cancer patients, will first attempt to review the transfusion requirements of cancer patients undergoing surgery and review the risks associated with allogeneic blood transfusion in these patients. Secondly, we will discuss the alternative use of rhEPO to treat perioperative anemia in cancer patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA

    Magali J. Fontaine M.D., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Pathology, Associate Director of Transfusion Services) & Prof. Dr. Lawrence T. Goodnough

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  1. Magali J. Fontaine M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Prof. Dr. Lawrence T. Goodnough
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Correspondence to Magali J. Fontaine M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine (Cancer Research), West German Cancer Center, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany

    Mohammad Resa Nowrousian

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Fontaine, M.J., Goodnough, L.T. (2008). rhEPO in surgical oncology. In: Nowrousian, M.R. (eds) Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) in Clinical Oncology. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69459-6_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69459-6_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-25223-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-69459-6

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