Table 1.

Studies of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in cancer patients with negative outcome

Author [Ref.]	Patients, n	Tumour entity	Haemoglobin, mg/dl	Outcome
Leyland-Jones [19]	939	breast cancer, stage IV	≥ 13	lower survival at 12 months (p = 0.01)
Henke [20] local	351	head and neck	≥ 12 in women ≥ 13 in men	increased risk for local failure (p = 0.007) and death (p = 0.02)
Wright [21]	70	NSCLC, stage IV	12–14	shorter survival (p = 0.04)
Goldberg [22]	552	head and neck	14–15.5	increased risk for local failure (p = 0.01)
Anaemia of Cancer Study [21]	989	cancer patients not receiving chemotherapy or irradiation	≥ 13	shorter survival (p = 0.008)
Lymphoid Cancers	344	lymphoproliferative	< 15 in women	shorter survival
Anaemia Study [21]		disorders	< 14 in men

NSCLC = Non-small cell lung cancer.