A new procedure helps a common type of wrist fracture heal more quickly.

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Administering epoetin for anemia once every three weeks is as good as a weekly treatment for patients with cancer.
Anemia is a common complication of cancer and causes breathlessness, fatigue and dizziness. It can be treated by epoetin alfa, which stimulates bone marrow production of new red blood cells. At present the drug is given on a weekly basis but doctors at the Mayo Clinic for the North Central Cancer Treatment Group now say less frequent administration can also work well.

They looked at a group of 360 patients receiving the epoetin alfa either once a week or once every three weeks. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of the need for transfusion because of low hemoglobin. Hemoglobin levels were slightly greater in the weekly group but more research is needed to assess whether this is significant. For the patient, anything that can make cancer treatment easier is welcome - and fewer administrations of epoetin alfa would certainly be helpful in this respect.

Source
Journal of Clinical Oncology online 27th February 2006

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