Professor Matti Aapro (Executive Director, International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) chairs this expert panel comprising of: Professor Mario Dicato, Professor Pere Gascón and Professor Heinz Ludwig to review current practice in treatment of anaemia in cancer patients.

Professor Aapro kicks off by exploring current controversy around the use of transfusions. Professor Ludwig goes on to highlight this in the context of haematological cancers and explains the increased risks of developing cancer (together with immune suppression) following transfusion. The correlation between transfusions and thrombolytic events is explained.

The panel reflect on older data around the use of erythropoietin (EPO) in patients with head and neck cancer and review new data which suggests that EPO has no effect in patients with breast, cervical cancers and lymphomas.
In agreements with this, Professor Gascón suggests that EPO receptors are a thing of the past, and explains current thinking around heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70).

Professor Mario Dicato discusses the different strategies for anaemia management in clinical practice and in particular highlights the importance of combined intravenous iron together with EPO for optimal anaemia managment. Finally, the panel discuss the relationship between anaemia and quality of life and explore some real life case studies.

The panel conclude that whilst the information related to EPO use and tumor progression, is true for one of more types of cancer; newer data suggests that it may have no effect on patient prognosis. New guidelines in development will consolidate current findings.

This programme has been supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica (A Johnson & Johnson Company).