Guidelines for using darbepoetin alfa in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia.

Anemia is an undertreated but common complication of cancer and is associated with debilitating symptoms that impair the patient's ability to perform daily functions of life. Treatment with darbepoetin alfa, a novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein, is appropriate for chemotherapy-induced anemia. Guidelines on darbepoetin alfa therapy will assist clinicians in its appropriate application.