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Information for Physicians and Patients

New England Journal of Medicine

A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine discusses the use of ESA drugs in cancer patients. The free full text of June 14, 2007 article by Fadlo R. Khuri, MD. entitled, “Weighing the Hazards of Erythropoiesis Stimulation in Patients with Cancer” is available through this link:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/356/24/2445

A table from the paper by Khuri summarizing clinical trials that have demonstrated adverse outcomes associated with ESA treatment in patients with cancer is available here:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/356/24/2445/T1

The same June 14 issue contains articles for which free full text is not available, “Do Cancer Cells Express Functional Erythropoietin Receptors?” by Gregory D. Longmore, M.D. and “Erythropoietin, the FDA and Oncology” by Robert Steinbrook, M.D.

Correspondence with references in the New England Journal of Medicine, September 10, 2007, by Stephen C. Lattanzi, M.D. disputes the conclusion of the article of June 14. A response with references is provided by the original author. The free full text entitled “Erythropoietins in Oncology” is available here:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/12/1262