According to this article:

* Patients with cancer who receive recombinant erythropoietin or darbepoetin to treat anemia have increased risks of venous thromboembolism and death.

Erythropoietin and darbepoetin, which are erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) used to treat anemia in patients with cancer, are associated with significantly increased risks of venous thromboembolism and death, according to a recent review.

Researchers searched for phase 3 trials investigating the treatment of anemia with ESAs. The analyses included 51 trials of survival outcomes (13,611 patients) and 38 trials of venous thromboembolism outcomes (8,172 patients). Patients with cancer who were treated with ESAs for anemia had a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (relative risk = 1.57) and an increased risk of death (hazard ratio = 1.1).

These findings suggest the need for further study of the safety of ESAs and for the close monitoring of patients who currently receive them. However, the researchers noted limitations of the review, including the lack of access to the original source data, the pooling of various trials' results, and the reporting on erythropoietin and darbepoetin collectively, rather than separately.