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NCCN Updates Cancer- and Treatment-Related Anemia Guidelines

JENKINTOWN, Pa., March 5, 2007 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announces important updates to the NCCN Cancer- and Treatment-Related Anemia Guidelines. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ are widely recognized and applied as the standard of care in oncology in the United States in both the community and the academic practice settings.

A significant issue the panel addressed was the results of a trial by Amgen, Inc. studying the use of Aranesp® (darbepoetin alfa) in patients with cancer-related anemia. In this large, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study, darbepoetin failed to reduce red blood cell transfusions in patients with active cancer who have anemia but are not on chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The study also showed higher mortality in patients receiving darbepoetin.

As a result, the NCCN panel added a statement to the “Adverse Effects of Erythropoietic Therapy” section of the guidelines. It states that, until new research evidence changes current benefit/risk estimates, physicians should be advised not to administer erythropoietin to patients similar to those in the Amgen trial.

NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ are developed and updated through an evidence-based process with explicit review of the scientific evidence by multidisciplinary panels of expert physicians from NCCN Member Institutions. The most recent version of this and all the guidelines are available free of charge at www.nccn.org.