Romiplostim Helps Prevent Serious Complication of Chemotherapy

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Romiplostim can prevent chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT)-induced modifications of chemotherapy dose among patients receiving oxaliplatin-based multiagent cytotoxic chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers, according to a study published in the March 12/19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.Hanny Al‑Samkari, M.D., from the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute in Boston, and colleagues conducted a phase 3 trial involving patients with persistent CIT who were receiving oxaliplatin-based multiagent cytotoxic chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers. A total of 165 patients (75, 13, and 12 percent with colorectal, gastroesophageal, and pancreatic cancer, respectively) were randomly assigned to receive romiplostim or placebo for three chemotherapy cycles (109 and 56 patients, respectively).Overall, 72 and 61 percent of patients in the romiplostim and placebo groups, respectively, had stage 4 disease. The researchers found that the percentage of patients with no CIT-induced modifications of the chemotherapy dose was 84 and 36 percent with romiplostim and placebo, respectively (odds ratio, 10.16; risk ratio, 2.77). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 37 and 22 percent of the patients who received romiplostim and placebo, respectively. Adverse events considered related to romiplostim or placebo occurred in 12 and 7 percent of those who received romiplostim and placebo, respectively; none were serious or led to death or discontinuation of romiplostim, placebo, or chemotherapy. Two percent of patients who received romiplostim and zero patients who received placebo experienced thromboembolic events."We hope that romiplostim's ability to allow administration of full-dose chemotherapy delivered on time will translate into longer survival for patients," Al-Samkari said in a statement.Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Amgen, which manufactures romiplostim and funded the study.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Romiplostim Helps Prevent Serious Complication of Chemotherapy

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