Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) in Clinical Oncology Scientific and Clinical Aspects of Anemia in Cancer

1. Physiology of erythropoiesis
2. Biology of EPO and EPO-receptor
3. The role of erythropoietin receptor expression on tumor cells
4. Problems associated with erythropoietin receptor determination on tumor cells
5. Pathophysiology of anemia in cancer
6. Prevalence and incidence of anemia and risk factors for anemia in patients with cancer
7. Significance of anemia in cancer chemotherapy
8. Incidence and impact of anemia in radiation oncology
9. Recombinant human erythropoietin in pediatric oncology
10. rhEPO in surgical oncology
11. Erythropoiesis, iron metabolism and iron supplementation during erythropoietin therapy
12. Are there risks for use of iron in cancer patients?
13. Metabolic and physiologic effects of rhEPO in anemic cancer patients
14. Effects of rhEPO on quality of life in anemic cancer patients
15. Thrombosis during therapy with erythropoiesis stimulating agents in cancer
16. The effect of rhEPO on survival in anemic cancer patients
17. rhEPO in patients with anemia and congestive heart failure
18. Cost-effectiveness of treating cancer anaemia

Anemia, a frequent complication of cancer and its treatments, produces unwanted symptoms and significantly impairs metabolic and physiologic functions, as well as patients' activity, quality of life and even life expectancy. In its new Second Edition, this book presents current knowledge on anemia in cancer and its treatment with Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO). Expanded, updated and newly added chapters describe scientific and clinical aspects of anemia, and give diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations on use of rhEPO. This is an essential source of information for radiotherapists, medical oncologists, hematologists, internists, pediatricians, surgeons, specialists in transfusion and laboratory medicine, and pharmacologists.