Anemia can be a debilitating problem that negatively influences overall quality of life, and it can worsen the prognosis for cancer patients. The requirement for red-blood cell transfusions is reduced in patients receiving erythropoietin therapy. This review discusses quality of life issues, the thromboembolic complications associated with erythropoietin treatment, and provides a critical appraisal of the clinical trial data and evidence-based guidelines for erythropoietin treatment.
- Julia Bohlius
- Olaf Weingart
- Andreas Engert