Biosimilar epoetin in elderly patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes improves anemia, quality of life, and brain function

A Systematic Literature Review of Predictors of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Failure in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are the first-line treatment option for anemia in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS). A systematic literature review was conducted to identify evidence of the association between prognostic factors and ESA response/failure in LR-MDS. MEDLINE, Embase, and relevant conferences were searched systematically for studies assessing the association between prognostic factors and ESA response/failure in adult patients. Of 1566 citations identified, 38 were included. Patient risk status in studies published from 2000 onwards was commonly assessed using the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) or revised IPSS. ESA response was generally assessed using the International Working Group MDS criteria. Among the included studies, statistically significant relationships were found, in both univariate and multivariate analyses, between ESA response and the following prognostic factors: higher hemoglobin levels, lower serum erythropoietin levels, and transfusion independence. Furthermore, other prognostic factors such as age, bone marrow blasts, serum ferritin level, IPSS risk status, and karyotype status did not demonstrate statistically significant relationships with ESA response. This systematic literature review has confirmed prognostic factors of ESA response/failure. Guidance to correctly identify patients with these characteristics could be helpful for clinicians to provide optimal treatment.

Do anemia treatments improve quality of life and physical function in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)? A systematic review

Anemia is common in Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Different anemia treatments have been tested in clinical studies, but the full impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical function is unknown. The main aim of this review was to assess whether improvements in anemia are associated with changes in HRQoL/physical function. Twenty-six full-text publications were identified, enrolling 2211 patients: nine randomized trials (RCTs), fourteen non-randomized studies of interventions and three cross-sectional studies. Interventions included: growth factors/erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (n = 14), red cell transfusion (n = 9), erythroid maturation agents (n = 1), or a combination (n = 2). Five RCTs reported no changes in HRQoL despite erythroid response to the intervention, raising the question of whether anemia treatment alone can effectively improve HRQoL. Many studies were considered at high risk of bias for assessing HRQoL. There is a pressing need for future clinical trials to better define the nature of the relationship between anemia and HRQoL/functional outcomes.

Biosimilar erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are an effective and safe option for the management of myelofibrosis-related anemia

OBJECTIVES

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) have an established role in treating anemia in hematological malignancies. However, their role, particularly biosimilar ESA (B-ESA), in myelofibrosis (MF) is not well established.

METHODS

This study retrospectively collected data on 96 MF patients treated with B-ESA (alpha/zeta) for the management of anemia to assess safety, efficacy (anemia response [AR]), and survival.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven patients (80%) obtained AR. The median time to AR was 2.5 months. In multivariate analysis, significant predictive factors of AR were transfusion independency (p = .006) and ferritin levels <200 ng/ml (p = .009) at baseline. After a median follow-up of 43.8 months from diagnosis, 38 patients (39%) died, 11 (28.9%) from leukemic evolution. Only two patients (2.5%) stopped B-ESA for toxicity. The 24-month survival was significantly affected by response to B-ESA (70.8% in AR vs. 55.3% in non-responder patients, p = .016). In multivariate analysis, age ≤ 70 years (p = .029) and Hb > 8.5 g/dl (p = .047) at baseline were significantly associated with improved survival, with a trend for longer survival in AR patients (p = .06).

CONCLUSIONS

B-ESA seems to be an effective and well-tolerated option for anemia treatment in the MF setting. This strategy deserves further clinical investigation.

Epoetin alfa biosimilar (HX575): A review of 15 years' post-approval clinical experience

Biosimilars offer the potential to expand patient access and reduce healthcare costs. Therefore, it is of importance that clinicians and patients are reassured about their efficacy and safety in practice. In 2007, Binocrit® (HX575; Sandoz GmbH, Kundl, Austria) was the first epoetin alfa biosimilar approved for use in chemotherapy induced anaemia (CIA), chronic renal failure (CRF), and more recently myelodysplastic (MDS) anaemia. Since its approval, there has been a plethora of data demonstrating the well-tolerated safety profile of HX575. This review will outline the safety results collected from key studies that have added to the extensive HX575 (Binocrit® unless otherwise stated) clinical experience. With a focus on all approved indications, we will review the safety data collected across a range of study types, to further consolidate the reassurance for the use of HX575 in these indications.

Blood-Based Biomarkers of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Non-Central Nervous System Cancer: A Scoping Review

This scoping review was designed to synthesize the extant literature on associations between subjective and/or objective measures of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and blood-based biomarkers in adults with non-central nervous system cancers. The literature search was done for studies published from the start of each database searched (i.e., MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, grey literature) through to October 20, 2021. A total of 95 studies are included in this review. Of note, a wide variety of biomarkers were evaluated. Most studies evaluated patients with breast cancer. A variety of cognitive assessment measures were used. The most consistent significant findings were with various subjective and objective measures of CRCI and levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor. Overall, biomarker research is in an exploratory phase. However, this review synthesizes findings and proposes directions for future research.

Ferric Carboxymaltose and Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Treatment Reduces the Rate of Blood Transfusion in Refractory Anemia

Background: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are used to treat refractory anemia (RA). Guidelines suggest iron supplementation for unresponsive patients, regardless of iron deficiency. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of iron supplementation with ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) on the reduction of red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) rate in transfusion-dependent RA patients. Methods: This was a prospective quasi-randomized study, wherein patients were randomly assigned into three groups: (A) ESAs alone, (B) ferric gluconate (FG) and ESAs, and (C) FCM and ESAs. Hemoglobin and ferritin levels, as well as the number of RBCTs at 4 and 28 weeks were compared. Economic evaluation was also performed. Results: A total of 113 RA patients were enrolled. In total, 43 were treated with intravenous FG and ESAs, 38 with FCM and ESAs, and 32 with ESAs alone. At both follow-ups, erythropoietic response was increased in those receiving iron as compared with those with ESAs alone (p = 0.001), regardless of the type of iron. At one month, ferritin levels were higher in the FCM and ESA groups (p = 0.001). RBCTs were lower in both iron groups. The less costly treatment strategy was FCM, followed by FG, and lastly ESAs. Conclusions: Addition of iron to ESAs in RA reduced RBCT requirement and improved hemoglobin values.

Targeting health-related quality of life in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes - Current knowledge and lessons to be learned

Using a range of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments, most - but not all - studies of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have reported that lower hemoglobin levels and red blood cell transfusion dependency are associated with worse HRQoL. In addition, some MDS treatments may significantly improve HRQoL, particularly among those patients who respond to therapy; however, the majority of these studies were underpowered for this secondary endpoint. Furthermore, decreased HRQoL has been associated with worse survival outcomes, and HRQoL scores can be used to refine classical prognostic systems. Despite the subjective nature of HRQoL, the importance and validity of measuring it in trials and clinical practice are increasingly being recognized, but properly validated MDS-specific instruments are required. We describe what is currently known about HRQoL in patients with MDS, and the limitations of measuring HRQoL, and we provide some recommendations to improve the measurement of this outcome in future trials.

Content validity of patient-reported outcomes for use in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

BACKGROUND

The lower-risk (low and intermediate-1 risk based on IPSS) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has a negative impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) instruments, which are used to collect patients' HRQoL data, should have established content validity in the target population to ensure that the instrument is comprehensive and comprehensible. The present study was conducted to evaluate the content validity of the Quality of Life in Myelodysplasia Scale (QUALMS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia (FACT-An) PRO instruments in patients with lower-risk MDS.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional, qualitative study, 16 patients aged ≥18 years with lower-risk MDS, who were RBC transfusion dependent, literate and fluent in US-English were interviewed. Interviews were semi-structured comprising of two parts: concept elicitation (CE) explored symptoms and impacts important to patients, and cognitive debriefing (CD) assessed understanding and relevance of the QUALMS and FACT-An. A conceptual model was developed, which was used to map the concepts that emerged during CE onto the QUALMS and FACT-An to assess concept coverage and suitability of the instruments.

RESULTS

The median age of participants was 67.5 years (range: 51-91), with half being female (n = 8). Nine (56.2%) participants had intermediate-1-risk MDS and 10 (62.5%) were relapsed or refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agent treatment. Fatigue/tiredness (100.0%), shortness of breath (87.5%), weakness (81.2%), and low energy (75.0%) were reported most commonly and were the most bothersome symptoms as well. Of seven high-level HRQoL domains identified, activities of daily living (n = 16, 100.0%), physical functioning (n = 15, 93.8%), emotional wellbeing (n = 13, 81.3%), social functioning (n = 12, 75.0%), sleep disturbance (n = 9, 56.3%), and impact on work (n = 9, 56.3%) were the most commonly reported. For CD, the QUALMS and FACT-An were found to be mostly relevant and very well understood; response options were easy to use, and recall period was appropriate.

CONCLUSION

Both QUALMS and FACT-An demonstrated a strong face and content validity in patients with lower-risk MDS, suggesting that these instruments are appropriate for assessing HRQoL in this population.

Does Outcome/Survival of Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes Should Be Predicted by Reduced Levels of ADAMTS-13? Results From a Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION

Von Willebrand factor (vWF) cleaving protease ADAMTS-13 has a key role for maintaining normal size of vWF. A deficiency or dysfunction of vWF cleaving protease is associated with ultra large vWF multimers and thrombotic microangiopathy. Patients with cancers have reduced levels of vWF cleaving protease. In this pilot study, we have evaluated whether or not deficiencies of ADAMTS-13 were present in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Moreover, we assessed if a reduction in basal levels of ADAMTS-13 may play a role in the prognosis of MDS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We measured and compared the levels of vWF cleaving protease ADAMTS-13 in 100 patients with MDS and 35 healthy controls. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the International Prognostic Scoring System: group I consisting of 44 patients with low-risk MDS and group II of 56 patients with high-risk MDS. Patients with high-risk and low-risk MDS presented significantly lower levels of ADAMTS-13 than controls (P < .001 and P = .0177, respectively). High-risk patients had significantly lower levels of ADAMTS-13 when compared with the low-risk group (P < .001).

RESULTS

We found that reduced levels of ADAMTS-13 have a relationship with overall survival (P < .001). Statistical analysis showed that ADAMTS-13 correlates with cytogenetics (P < .001) and a tendency of slight correlation with platelet count and basal levels of ADAMTS-13 (R, 0.35; P value, 0.001). Moreover, we found that levels of ADAMTS-13 have correlation with response to treatment (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

ADAMTS-13 in MDS might represent a surrogate marker of prognosis, response to therapy, or disease progression. Further studies are needed.

Association between anemia and cognitive decline among Chinese middle-aged and elderly: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study

Background

Our objective was to characterize the relationship of anemia and hemoglobin concentrations with cross-sectional cognitive functions and changes in cognitive functions over 2 years in a large sample of Chinese middle aged and elderly.

Methods

Ten thousand nine hundred eighteen adults aged 45 years or older participating in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used for cross-sectional analyses and 9324 were used for longitudinal analysis. Cognitive functions were assessed by memory recall (episodic memory), mental status (TICS), and global cognitive function at baseline survey (Visit 1) and first follow-up survey (Visit 2). The lower the cognitive test score, the worse the cognitive function. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentrations lower than 13 g/dl for men and lower than 12 g/dl for women. Adjusted multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the relationships of different cognitive domains with anemia and hemoglobin concentration.

Results

Overall, the prevalence of anemia was 12.86% and the mean hemoglobin concentration was 14.37 ± 2.20 g/dl. After adjusting for socio-demographic and health-related covariates, the cross-sectional association between anemia and global cognitive function [β (95%CI) = − 0.49(− 0.69~ − 0.29)], episodic memory [β (95%CI) = − 0.14(− 0.23~ − 0.05)], and TICS [β (95%CI) = − 0.23(− 0.38~ − 0.08)] were significant and did not differ by gender. The hemoglobin concentration was also associated with global cognitive function among the whole sample (P < 0.05 for all). The longitudinal analyses showed global cognitive function and episodic memory were associated with anemia independent of covariates (P < 0.05 for all). Sensitivity analyses further provided significant results showing the association between anemia and cognition decline (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

There was a cross-sectional and longitudinal association between anemia and accelerated decline in cognitive functions in Chinese middle-aged and elderly. This suggests that anemia and low hemoglobin concentrations are independent risk factors of cognitive decline.

Epoetin alfa for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome-related anemia: A review of clinical data, clinical guidelines, and treatment protocols

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, leading to hematopoietic precursor cell apoptosis and peripheral blood cytopenias. Anemia is the most frequently experienced cytopenia and is the main cause of MDS symptoms, with fatigue and dyspnea contributing to reduced quality of life and increased morbidity. As MDS disease course and prognosis is influenced by disease factors, prognostic scoring systems have been developed for MDS to aid clinical and therapeutic decisions following diagnosis. Erythropoiesis- stimulating agents (ESAs) have been used for many years to treat anemia in patients with lower-risk MDS without chromosomal abnormalities. The use of ESAs is recommended by international clinical practice guidelines, due to the large body of evidence demonstrating their effectiveness in lower-risk MDS. In March 2017, the European Medicines Agency approved epoetin alfa for the treatment of anemia in lower-risk MDS patients, based on the results from a Phase 3 clinical trial and three European registry studies. The effectiveness of biosimilar epoetin alfa (Binocrit^®, Sandoz) to correct anemia in lower-risk MDS patients has also been demonstrated in a retrospective, single-center, observational study. The recent approval of epoetin alfa by the EMA in this setting will provide clinicians with a welcome, approved treatment option for lower-risk MDS.

Iron status in the elderly: A review of recent evidence

A comprehensive literature review of iron status in the elderly was undertaken in order to update a previous review (Fairweather-Tait et al, 2014); 138 summarised papers describe research on the magnitude of the problem, aetiology and age-related physiological changes that may affect iron status, novel strategies for assessing iron status with concurrent health conditions, hepcidin, lifestyle factors, iron supplements, iron status and health outcomes (bone mineral density, frailty, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney failure, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases). Each section of this review concludes with key points from the relevant papers. The overall findings were that disturbed iron metabolism plays a major role in a large number of conditions associated with old age. Correction of iron deficiency/overload may improve disease prognosis, but diagnosis of iron deficiency requires appropriate cut-offs for biomarkers of iron status in elderly men and women to be agreed. Iron deficiency (with or without anemia), anemia of inflammation, and anemia of chronic disease are all widespread in the elderly and, once identified, should be investigated further as they are often indicative of underlying disease. Management options should be reviewed and updated, and novel therapies, which show potential for treating anemia of inflammation or chronic disease, should be considered.

Development and 10-year history of a biosimilar: the example of Binocrit®

Patent expirations for several biological products have prompted the development of alternative versions, termed ‘biosimilars’, which have comparable quality, safety and efficacy to a licensed biological medicine (also referred to as the ‘reference’ medicine). The first biosimilars developed in oncology were the supportive-care agents filgrastim and epoetin. Binocrit^® (HX575) is a biosimilar version of epoetin alfa, indicated in the oncology setting for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA). The process for development and approval of Binocrit^® as a biosimilar included extensive analytical characterization and comparison with the reference epoetin alfa. This was followed by a clinical development program comprising phase I pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies to show bioequivalence to the reference medicine and a confirmatory phase III study to confirm therapeutic effectiveness in CIA. Since its approval, Binocrit^® has been extensively used and studied in real-world clinical practice. The accumulated data confirm that Binocrit^® is an effective and well-tolerated option for the treatment of CIA in patients with cancer.

The association between minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), children's poor oral condition, and underlying negative psychosocial habits and attitudes towards oral hygiene

BACKGROUND

Minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) represents a disease which is very difficult to prevent. This case-control study focused on possible associations between minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in children, their oral health, and underlying behavioral indexes of children's attitudes and habits pertaining to (home) oral hygiene, with the further goal of enabling the dentist to prevent these specific kind of lesions, both from a clinical and a broader psychosocial perspective.

METHODS

Four hundred one school-children (5-10 years old) in Milan (Italy) were submitted to an intra-oral examination, and interviewed with the aid of a brief psychosocial questionnaire.

RESULTS

At the clinical level, statistically significant associations were observed between the presence of decayed teeth and minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (Odds Ratio: 3.15; 95% CI: lower limit 1.06; upper limit: 9.36; Z-test: 2.07, p = 0.039; Chi-square = 4.71, p = 0.030), and between the Decayed Missing or Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and minor aphthous stomatitis (Odds Ratio: 3.30; 95% CI: lower limit 1.13; upper limit: 9.67; Z-test = 2.18, p = 0.029; Chi-square = 5.27; p = 0.022), both results pointing to a significant increase-by circa 3 times-in the risk of developing minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in children exposed to the two above-identified factors (i.e., the presence of decayed teeth and a clearly compromised oral condition, as signaled by the DMFT index), if compared with the risk run by their non-exposed counterparts. At the psychosocial level of analysis, statistically significant associations were observed (1) between children's practice of spontaneously brushing teeth when not at home and a comparatively lower (i.e. better) Decayed Missing or Filled Teeth index (Chi-square: 8.95; p = 0.011), and (2) between receiving parental aid (e.g., proper brushing instructions) while practicing home oral hygiene and a significantly reduced presence of decayed teeth (Chi-square = 5.40; p = .067; Spearman's Rho, p = .038). Further, significant associations were also observed between children's reported severity of dental pain and both (a) the presence of decayed teeth (Chi-square = 10.80; p = 0.011), and (b) children's (poor) oral health condition as expressed by the Decayed Missing or Filled Teeth index (Chi-square = 6.29; p = 0.043). Interestingly, specific lifestyles and social status, showed no systematic association to other clinical or psychological/psychosocial indices.

CONCLUSIONS

These systematic relations suggest that, in the presence of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in pediatric patients, the dentist should carefully monitor children for potential carious lesions, implement protocols of prevention to control Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis disease in children affected by caries, and also be particularly aware of the right or wrong habits children may acquire in the course of continued social exchange with their caregivers and peers.

Warming Up to New Possibilities with the Capsaicin Receptor TRPV1: mTOR, AMPK, and Erythropoietin

BACKGROUND

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a superfamily of ion channels termed after the trp gene in Drosophila that are diverse in structure and control a wide range of biological functions including cell development and growth, thermal regulation, and vascular physiology. Of significant interest is the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) receptor, also known as the capsaicin receptor and the vanilloid receptor 1, that is a non-selective cation channel sensitive to a host of external stimuli including capsaicin and camphor, venoms, acid/basic pH changes, and temperature.

METHODS

Given the multiple modalities that TRPV1 receptors impact in the body, we examined and discussed the role of these receptors in vasomotor control, metabolic disorders, cellular injury, oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and neurodegenerative disorders and their overlap with other signal transduction pathways that impact trophic factors.

RESULTS

Surprisingly, TRPV1 receptors do not rely entirely upon calcium signaling to affect cellular biology, but also have a close relationship with the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and protein kinase B (Akt) that have roles in pain sensitivity, stem cell development, cellular survival, and cellular metabolism. These pathways with TRPV1 converge in the signaling of growth factors with recent work highlighting a relationship with erythropoietin (EPO). Angiogenesis and endothelial tube formation controlled by EPO requires, in part, the activation of TRPV1 receptors in conjunction with Akt and AMPK pathways.

CONCLUSION

TRPV1 receptors could prove to become vital to target disorders of vascular origin and neurodegeneration. Broader and currently unrealized implementations for both EPO and TRPV1 receptors can be envisioned for for the development of novel therapeutic strategies in multiple systems of the body.

The impact of anaemia, transfusion dependency, comorbidities and polypharmacy in elderly patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are heterogeneous clonal disorders ranging from indolent conditions with a near-normal life expectancy to forms approaching acute myeloid leukaemia. Comorbid conditions have rarely been systematically studied among patients with MDS. Older age per se has a negative impact on survival of MDS patients, in particular of those with lower risk. However, age indirectly affects also the survival of higher-risk patients by limiting their eligibility to intensive treatments. In addition, ageing is associated with an increasingly high risk of developing comorbidity, and a high prevalence of comorbid diseases has indeed been reported in MDS patients. The impact of multi-morbidities/comorbidities and polypharmacy in patients with low-risk MDS patients is a poorly explored topic. We focused on medications, multi-morbidities and comorbidities of 155 low-risk MDS patients followed in the haematological outpatients clinics or in medical/oncology wards of our University Hospital. One or more comorbidities were present at diagnosis in 24 younger patients with MDS syndromes (31%), whereas 56 older patients with MDS (75%) presented 1 or more comorbidities (P < 0.001).The most frequent comorbidity was cardiac comorbidity 18% in younger patients and 25% in older patients. With no statistical significance between older and younger patients, congestive heart failure was the most frequent observed disease. Our study has shown a statistical correlation between transfusion dependency and polypathology (P = 0.0014). These data were also confirmed in a subanalysis of the younger group of patients. Our study has shown that comorbidity is very common among patients with MDS, potentially affecting the clinical course and outcome of MDS patients.

Erythropoietin and mTOR: A "One-Two Punch" for Aging-Related Disorders Accompanied by Enhanced Life Expectancy

Life expectancy continues to increase throughout the world, but is accompanied by a rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases. As a result, the benefits of an increased lifespan can be limited by aging-related disorders that necessitate new directives for the development of effective and safe treatment modalities. With this objective, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a 289-kDa serine/threonine protein, and its related pathways of mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2), proline rich Akt substrate 40 kDa (PRAS40), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), Wnt signaling, and silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), have generated significant excitement for furthering novel therapies applicable to multiple systems of the body. Yet, the biological and clinical outcome of these pathways can be complex especially with oversight of cell death mechanisms that involve apoptosis and autophagy. Growth factors, and in particular erythropoietin (EPO), are one avenue under consideration to implement control over cell death pathways since EPO can offer potential treatment for multiple disease entities and is intimately dependent upon mTOR signaling. In experimental and clinical studies, EPO appears to have significant efficacy in treating several disorders including those involving the developing brain. However, in mature populations that are affected by aging-related disorders, the direction for the use of EPO to treat clinical disease is less clear that may be dependent upon a number of factors including the understanding of mTOR signaling. Continued focus upon the regulatory elements that control EPO and mTOR signaling could generate critical insights for targeting a broad range of clinical maladies.

Biosimilar epoetin for the management of chemotherapy-induced anemia in elderly patients

Introduction

Chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) is a frequent complication among cancer patients, with elderly patients more likely to suffer severe effects. Biosimilar erythropoiesis-stimulating agents lower costs of supportive cancer treatment, and thus are particularly relevant in the elderly cancer population, which is growing rapidly worldwide. The goal of this subanalysis was to compare the tolerability and effectiveness of an epoetin biosimilar for treating CIA in patients <70 years old vs patients ≥70 years old.

Materials and methods

The ORHEO observational trial enrolled patients with CIA (hemoglobin [Hb] <11 g/dL) in association with chemotherapy for solid tumors, lymphoma, or myeloma. Patients received an epoetin biosimilar and were evaluated at 3 and 6 months for response, defined as achieving target Hb without blood transfusions during the 3 weeks preceding measurement, Hb ≥10 g/dL, or Hb increase ≥1 g/dL since study enrollment. Secondary end points included changes in Hb level, treatment interruptions, transfusion rates, and adverse events.

Results

Among the 2,310 original patients, 1,301 <70 years old were compared to 1,009 ≥70 years old. Almost all patients (99.9%) received the biosimilar epoetin zeta (Retacrit). Patients in both groups responded well to treatment with biosimilar epoetin, with 79.8% and 84% responding at 3 months and 86.3% and 86.8% at 6 months among younger and elderly cohorts, respectively. Biosimilar epoetin therapy was well tolerated, with adverse events reported in only 17.6% and 16.4% of younger and elderly patients, respectively. A greater number of thromboembolic events and a lesser rate of infections were reported in the elderly, but were still lower than reported in clinical registration trials. No treatment fatalities occurred in either group.

Conclusion

Biosimilar epoetin was an effective and well-tolerated treatment for managing CIA in elderly cancer patients.

Laboratory and clinical risk assessment to treat myelodysplatic syndromes

Myelodisplastic syndromes (MDS) are heterogeneous myeloid disorders characterized by peripheral cytopenias and increased risk of transformation into acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). MDS are generally suspected in the presence of cytopenia on routine analysis and the evaluation of bone marrow cells morphology and cellularity leads to correct diagnosis of MDS. The incidence of MDS is approximately five cases per 100,000 people per year in the general population, but it increases up to 50 cases per 100,000 people per year after 60 years of age. Typically MDS affect the elderly, with a median age at diagnosis of 65–70 years. Here the current therapeutic approaches for MDS are evaluated by searching the PubMed database. Establishing the prognosis in MDS patients is a key element of therapy. In fact an accurate estimate of prognosis drives decisions about the choice and timing of the therapeutic options. Therapy is selected based on prognostic risk assessment, cytogenetic pattern, transfusion needs and biological characteristics of the disease, comorbidities and clinical condition of the patients. In lower-risk patients the goals of therapy are different from those in higher-risk patients. In lower-risk patients, the aim of therapy is to reduce transfusion needs and transformation to higher risk disease or AML, improving the quality of life and survival. In higher-risk patients, the main goal of therapy is to prolong survival and to reduce the risk of AML transformation. Current therapies include growth factor support, lenalidomide, immunomodulatory and hypomethylating agents, intensive chemotherapy, and allogenic stem cell transplantation. The challenge when dealing with MDS patients is to select the optimal treatment by balancing efficacy and toxicity.

Regeneration in the nervous system with erythropoietin

Globally, greater than 30 million individuals are afflicted with disorders of the nervous system accompanied by tens of thousands of new cases annually with limited, if any, treatment options. Erythropoietin (EPO) offers an exciting and novel therapeutic strategy to address both acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. EPO governs a number of critical protective and regenerative mechanisms that can impact apoptotic and autophagic programmed cell death pathways through protein kinase B (Akt), sirtuins, mammalian forkhead transcription factors, and wingless signaling. Translation of the cytoprotective pathways of EPO into clinically effective treatments for some neurodegenerative disorders has been promising, but additional work is necessary. In particular, development of new treatments with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents such as EPO brings several important challenges that involve detrimental vascular outcomes and tumorigenesis. Future work that can effectively and safely harness the complexity of the signaling pathways of EPO will be vital for the fruitful treatment of disorders of the nervous system.