Anemic Patients With MDS Gain Long-Term Benefits From Erythropoietin and Myeloid Growth Facto...(p Recently the FDA has issued alert...),Health

Recently, the FDA has issued alerts regarding the use of ESAs, noting increased mortality, possible tumor promotion, and thromboembolic events that have been observed in some studies of non-MDS patients receiving ESAs. However, other studies of patients with solid tumors receiving chemotherapy did not demonstrate an adverse effect of ESAs on survival.

"We believe the data suggest that the negative effects of cytokines, like ESAs, demonstrated in some studies of other diseases may relate to biologic and clinical features or the specific treatments associated with the differing disorders studied," said Dr. Greenberg. "Findings from this study demonstrate the relative safety and efficacy of EPO plus G-CSF for treating anemic lower-risk MDS patients and may be considered as part of future treatment recommendations for the use of this class of therapies."

Additional links:

• Treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes patients with erythropoietin with or without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: results of a prospective randomized phase III trial by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (E1996), Blood First Edition Paper, prepublished online June 29, 2009
• American Society of Hematology/American Society of Clinical Oncology 2007 Clinical Practice Guideline Update on the Use of Epoetin and Darbepoetin
• ASH Model Policy on Indications for ESA Treatment for Patients with MDS