I just heard on the news (then later read here) the latest news that Procrit and another drug used to prevent anemia are now not being recommended for people with early stage head and neck or breast cancer , the article and news report I saw on CNN seemed vague about why--something about "evidence they could cause tumors to grow".

Well I had both those cancers, both in remission, and also had procrit when I was getting cisplatin (although at that time to the best of anyone's knowledge I did not have any tumors since I was early stagefor both cancers and had surgery before chemo and rad). And I don't even know if the procrit helped that much! It didn't prevent me from becoming so anemic by the end of treatment that my RBC numbers were just a hair away from requiring a blood transfusion.

Anyway, I am just wodnering if anyone here has a reference for these clinical trials that showed some risk. I'd like to klnow what actually was done and what was found.

Nelie

Here is a reprint of an FDA advisory on the subject. This was published in May, 2007, the first advisories started appearing in March of 2007.

Specifically: "Head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation therapy had faster tumor growth when ESAs were adjusted to maintain hemoglobin levels higher than 12 g/dL." (emphasis added)

I would recommend speaking with your MO to see if the blood tests you had ever revealed exceeding these levels. One could infer that the danger is substantially lower in patients having hemoblobin levels below that amount.

See this link for the full advisory:

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/transcript.cfm?show=63#2

In an unrelated advisory about RF ablation for lung tumors. This may be of interest to some having recurrence issues. Glenn had RF ablation for his lung mets.

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/safety/121107-rfablation.html

Thanks, Gary. That's helpful information to start the conversation with my MO. I just had an apppointment with him--won't have another for 2 and 1/2 months. I'm guessing whatever risks were found to H&N cancer patients were shorter term anyway and hopefully if nothing bad has happened to me yet, I'm out of the risk zone anyway.

Scary, though, how a medicine that is supposed to help you get through treatment better can later turn out to have been more risky than helpful!

Nelie

You can add RT to the list - it shouldn't be any surprise why the techs are protected by an inch of lead and reinforced concrete and they put these things in remote, usually basement, locations (so they don't have to shield the floor as well).