Erythropoietin levels after bilateral nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma; a case report.

This letter, published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Nephrology, discusses the case of a 60-year-old man who underwent bilateral nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The authors measured the levels of erythropoietin (EPO) before and after the surgery to examine the impact of nephrectomy on EPO production. They found that EPO levels declined sharply after the surgery and gradually increased over time, but were not sufficient to correct the patient's anemia. The authors discuss the potential use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) and hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHI) to address anemia in patients who have undergone nephrectomy. However, they note that the effects of HIF-PHI on malignant cells are not yet fully understood. [Extracted from the article]