Enhanced radiosensitivity in experimental tumours following erythropoietin treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia.

The radiosensitivity of solid tumours in anaemic rats treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO, epoetin beta) was studied. Anaemia was induced by a single dose of carboplatin (45 mg kg(-1) i.v.), resulting in a reduction in the haemoglobin concentration by 30%. In a second group, the development of anaemia was prevented by rhEPO (1000 IU kg(-1)) administered s.c. three times per week starting 6 days before the carboplatin application. Three days after carboplatin treatment, DS-sarcomas were implanted subcutaneously onto the hind foot dorsum. Neither carboplatin nor rhEPO treatment influenced tumour growth rate. Five days after implantation, tumours were irradiated with a single …