Chemotherapy-induced moderate to severe anemia in intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients

This study investigated the incidence of anemia in chemotherapy-treated intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (IGNHL) patients. A historic case series design was used. The study data were obtained from 12 oncology practices that participated in the Oncology Practice Pattern Study (OPPS). The analysis focused on 353 IGNHL patients with normal baseline (prechemotherapy) hemoglobin (Hb) (≥12.0 g/dL). These patients were treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone combination) therapy (at some point) from 1993 through 1999. Anemia was found to be prominent during chemotherapy. About 24% of the patients with a normal baseline Hb level dropped below 10.0 g/dL and 49% dropped to 10.0 -11.9 g/dL, at some point during chemotherapy. As anemia treatment data were unavailable, it is likely that some of these patients received therapy to boost their Hb levels, rendering our results conservative. A logistic regression model revealed that in patients with normal baseline Hb, age ≥60, female gender, lower baseline Hb level, and lymphoma histology classified as the Working Formulation (WF) E or H were significant predictors of a drop in Hb below 10.0 g/dL during chemotherapy. Chemo-therapy-induced anemia is frequently observed in lymphoma patients. It is possible to identify adverse baseline patient characteristics associated with higher risk of chemotherapy-induced anemia and carefully monitor such patients. Additional studies in community oncology practice are warranted to validate these findings and improve our understanding of the problems of anemia in chemotherapy treated non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) patients.