Iron Infusion and Procrit--what to do??

Hi there! My experience is different. I am anemic due to treatment, so I have been taking the Procrit injections for the last month and a half. We did not discuss iron infusions. Yes, the side effects sound bad, as far as possibility of increased tumor growth. We have to always weight the good versus the bad in our own personal situations. Let me know if you have any procrit questions. I'm injecting them myself. Still getting used to that! Good luck!

Published online 2014 Nov 11

Erythropoietin and Cancer: The Unintended Consequences of Anemia Correction

A plethora of scientific evidence demonstrates a growth-promoting, anti-apoptotic action of EPO and other ESAs on non-hematopoietic cells, both normal and malignant, and this is supported by numerous clinical observations showing adverse effects of EPO administration on the clinical management of tumor growth and progression. As anticipated just a few years ago, physicians who care for anemic cancer patients have been facing a dilemma, whether to treat the anemic patient with an ESA, thereby potentially increasing the risk of worsening the malignancy, or to withhold ESA treatment, with resultant patient fatigue, reduced physical activity, increased hypoxic stress, and reliance on transfusion therapy. Primary tumors are not yet EPOR typed (like breast cancers are assessed for ER/PR expression) though this idea should be considered. There has been much discussion of EPO use in cancer patients, and several professional and regulatory organizations and authorities have issued various guidances. Perhaps, the following "rule" used by several clinicians interviewed by one of the authors should be considered. If the cancer patient is being treated with curative intent, avoid the use of ESAs. If the treatment plan is more conservative or palliative, consider ESAs for anemia treatment, but proceed with great caution

I'm guessing that he does know it, but is operating with the intent to offer improved quality of life for you. It's quite a statement when you say you "feel like you can't go on".

There's a lot of references to stem cells and genetic testing and most of the concerns with EPO are related to specific mutations - one of them being the mechanism for the development of resistance to anti-HER2 treatment (Herceptin). It doesn't sound like the science has advanced enough for them to make predictions based on genetic subtypes, so the advice to proceed with caution is well-meant.

Probably the best answer is a trial of transfusions to see if this improves your quality of life.