On study mortality all cancer patients	Meta‐regression ESA versus control		Meta‐regression ESA versus control		Meta‐regression ESA versus control		Meta‐regression ESA versus control		Meta‐regression ESA versus control
Additional included variable(s)	endpoint		planned weekly ESA dose		year last patient randomized		endpoint and planned weekly dose		last patient randomized, endpoint and planned weekly dose
HR of studies adjusted for	‐		‐		‐		‐		‐
Studies included	n = 53		n = 53		n = 53		n = 53		n = 53
Planned frequency of ESA application	HR	95% CI	HR	95% CI	HR	95% CI	HR	95% CI	HR	95% CI
Three times per week  or more frequent	1.09	0.76‐1.58	0.92	0.75‐1.14	0.94	0.68‐1.29	1.05	0.73‐1.53	1.00	0.60‐1.66
Once per week	1.44	1.17‐1.77	1.26	0.86‐1.84	1.19	0.76‐1.88	1.27	0.85‐1.89	1.19	0.63‐2.23
Every second week or less frequent	0.93	0.50‐1.73	0.94	0.59‐1.52	0.90	0.49‐1.64	0.80	0.39‐1.62	0.75	0.29‐1.93
Other	0.96	0.67‐1.33	0.71	0.44‐1.76	0.65	0.33‐1.31	0.77	0.47‐1.27	0.79	0.33‐1.91
Test for differences between subgroups*	p = 0.0669		p = 0.1196		p = 0.0940		p = 0.1560		p = 0.4270