RESUMO
AIM: We investigated the role of erythropoietin (EPO) in reducing anemia and preventing the development of psychological distress in patients treated with chemotherapy. PATIENTS & METHODS: This prospective observational study enrolled 591 adult patients receiving EPO at a dose of 30,000 IU administered once weekly for chemotherapy-induced anemia (mean baseline hemoglobin [Hb] level was 9.55 g/dl) over a 12-month period. RESULTS: The majority of patients (371 [71%] patients) achieved a Hb increase >2 g/dl after 4 weeks of treatment. Interestingly, the nonresponder group had a statistically significant deterioration of their psychological conditions as indicated by psychological distress score (p = 0.01). However, within the group of responders to EPO, the Psychological Distress Inventory score remained unchanged. In the present study, severe side effects associated with EPO were not recorded. CONCLUSION: Hb increase, induced by EPO, ameliorates the psychological conditions of cancer patients.
Assuntos
Anemia/induzido quimicamente , Anemia/tratamento farmacológico , Anemia/psicologia , Eritropoetina/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/psicologia , Estresse Psicológico/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Epoetina alfa , Eritropoetina/administração & dosagem , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias/complicações , Qualidade de Vida , Proteínas Recombinantes/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Recombinantes/uso terapêutico , Resultado do TratamentoAssuntos
Androstadienos/administração & dosagem , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Cooperação do Paciente , Administração Oral , Idoso , Androstadienos/uso terapêutico , Inibidores da Aromatase/administração & dosagem , Inibidores da Aromatase/uso terapêutico , Feminino , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
PURPOSE: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not eligible for local therapies has limited chances of cure. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor with proven activity in advanced HCC. Octreotide is used in this setting with conflicting results. Treatment with sorafenib and long-acting octreotide was tested in advanced HCC to evaluate safety and activity. METHODS: Fifty patients with advanced HCC, Child-Pugh A or B, received sorafenib at a dosage of 800 mg/day for 28 days with a following week of rest and long-acting octreotide at a dose of 40 mg, administered every 28 days. RESULTS: All patients were assessable for safety and efficacy. Sixteen patients out of 50 (34%) were naïve from other therapies, while all the others were previously treated with local and/or systemic treatments. We achieved 5 partial responses (10%), 33 stable diseases (66%) and 12 progressions of disease (24%). Median time to progression was 7.0 months (95% CI, 3.0-10.9 months), and median overall survival was 12 months (95% CI, 6.3-17.4 months). Treatment was well tolerated. Diarrhoea (6%) and hypertension (4%) were the most frequent grade 3 toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the combination between sorafenib and long-acting octreotide is active and well tolerated in patients with advanced HCC and could represent another efficacious chance for the management of this population.