INTRODUCTION: Recombinant human erythropoietin (RHuEPO) is an erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) used to treat anemia in patients with total or relative erythropoietin deficit. In cancer patients, it is administered to optimize hemoglobin (Hb) levels, correct anemia and reduce the need for transfusions. Cuba produces a RHuEPO, registered in 1998 as ior®EPOCIM, that is widely used in the national public health system, mainly to treat patients with anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of ior®EPOCIM in pediatric cancer patients with anemia following chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The working hypothesis posed an Hb increase ≥15 g/l in 70% of patients receiving ior®EPOCIM for 8 weeks.

METHODS: A Phase IV, multicenter, open clinical trial was conducted. Participants were 157 patients aged 1–19 years with anemia and cyto-histological diagnosis of cancer in any location. Patients received either 600 U/kg ior®EPOCIM intravenously, once weekly, or 150 U/kg ior®EPOCIM subcutaneously, 3 times a week, for 8 weeks. All patients had blood tests every week to determine hemoglobin and hematocrit, and reticulocyte and platelet counts. Mean number of transfusions required by patients during the treatment period was compared to the mean number of transfusions received in the preceding 8 weeks. Adverse events (AE) were recorded at the 4th and 8th weeks and classified by intensity and causality.

RESULTS: Hb levels rose ≥15 g/l in 68.8% of patients, and transfusion requirements decreased 17%. The most frequent adverse events were fever (19.3%), vomiting (10.2%) and flu-like syndrome (9.6%). Intensity of AE was predominantly mild. Only 7 AE were classified as very probably related to the product and none of those was severe.

CONCLUSIONS: ior®EPOCIM proved to be safe and effective at the doses and frequencies used in this patient population. As a result, this medication was recommended for use in all pediatric oncology and hematology services in the country.

Keywords: Erythropoietin, recombinant; anemia, cancer, pediatrics, medical oncology, Cuba