risks with Aranesp - used for anemia during chemo

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Anne - 22 Jan 2008 23:16 GMT

I keep hearing about all the potentially bad effects and dangers of using
Aranesp(tumor growth, stroke, heart failure, etc). The FDA is beefing up
the warning against any other uses (use extreme caution) other than chemo
patients.

I can't get any doctor to tell me why it's worth the risk for chemo
patients, but not other people.

Does anyone know why or have more info ?

I've had this shot during my past few chemo treatments. It didn't raise by
red blood count any, but it did stop it from going down - which it had been
doing for the past year.

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J - 25 Jan 2008 20:34 GMT

> I keep hearing about all the potentially bad effects and dangers of using
> Aranesp(tumor growth, stroke, heart failure, etc). The FDA is beefing up
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> red blood count any, but it did stop it from going down - which it had been
> doing for the past year.

I guess you have decide if it's worth the risks.
They're talking about adding stimulants now, for some.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124203258.htm
J

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Anne - 01 Feb 2008 06:13 GMT

| > I keep hearing about all the potentially bad effects and dangers of using
| > Aranesp(tumor growth, stroke, heart failure, etc). The FDA is beefing up
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
| http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124203258.htm
| J

Being a non-medical person, and not being able to get a straight answer from
any of my docs, I don't understand what the risks are (and to which kind of
patients) vs. the benefits enough to make an informed decision.

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J - 01 Feb 2008 12:37 GMT

> "J" <nswex@nalid;non> wrote in message
>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> any of my docs, I don't understand what the risks are (and to which kind of
> patients) vs. the benefits enough to make an informed decision.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2002484
Curr Oncol. 2007 October; 14(5): 209217.
Canadian supportive care recommendations for the management of anemia in
patients with cancer
"Considerable controversy remains regarding the optimal continuation time for an
esa following completion of chemotherapy. It is reasonable to continue esa
therapy for a duration beyond chemotherapy completion equivalent to 12 further
cycles of therapyfor example, a further 6 weeks for an every-3-weeks regimen)."

(so this does not address a person who's on chemo continually for long periods,
as I think you have been.)

Re: Tumour Progression: "The final study analysis will be reported to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration in late 2008."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darbepoetin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythropoietin

Pay attention to the maximum hemoglobin levels in the first url ( lower for
Cdns) as compared to the American ones 13 and 12% for the US, if I recall
correctly.

HTH
J

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Just Me - 25 Jan 2008 23:42 GMT

I wasn't getting chemo, but I did have an Angioplasty (sp?). My
kidney reacted badly with the dyes, and they sent me to the
Cancer unit to get the Aranesp. It did stop my anemia, and I
took it for about 6 months. I had no adverse reactions to it,
but always felt that somewhere a pharmaceutical executive was
sitting on the back of his yacht, and somehow I paid for the
olive in his martini.

>I keep hearing about all the potentially bad effects and dangers of using
>Aranesp(tumor growth, stroke, heart failure, etc). The FDA is beefing up
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>red blood count any, but it did stop it from going down - which it had been
>doing for the past year.

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