Epogen: What to Expect, Side Effects, and More

Epogen (chemical name: epoetin alfa) is not a breast cancer treatment — it’s a medicine that treats anemia, which can be a side effect of certain breast cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, some targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. 

Research suggests that there may be more effective anemia treatments for people with breast cancer. If your doctor recommends Epogen, it's a good idea to ask if there are other medicines you can take.

See Epogen prescribing information. 

Anemia is caused by a low red blood cell count, or when your red blood cells don't have enough hemoglobin.

Epogen is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, which causes bone marrow to make red blood cells. 

Procrit is another brand of epoetin alfa. Aranesp (chemical name: darbepoetin alfa) is another erythropoiesis-stimulating agent.

Once the body has sufficient red blood cells, anemic symptoms like weakness and fatigue improve.

Epogen is given intravenously or as an injection one to three times per week. Your care team will determine the right dosage for you. 

The FDA has approved Retacrit (chemical name: epoetin alfa-epbx) as a biosimilar to Epogen and Procrit for the treatment of anemia caused by chemotherapy. 

Like almost all medicines, Epogen can cause side effects, some of them severe.

The most common side effects of Epogen are:

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  tumor growth/recurrence

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  heart problems

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  stroke

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  headache

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  joint pain

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  muscle pain

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  nausea

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  vomiting

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  stomach pain

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  sleeping problems

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  diarrhea

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  constipation

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  rash

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  itching

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  neuropathy

Epogen may also increase the risk of blood clots. If you have any of the following symptoms, notify your doctor immediately:

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  Pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in the arm or leg

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  Shortness of breath

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  Chest tightness or pain

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  Coughing up blood

The cost of Epogen may vary. The price you’ll pay depends on your health insurance provider and plan, where you live, and the pharmacy you use.

You may also be charged for the office visits required for Epogen infusions.

Note: Your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization before covering Epogen. 

If you have trouble paying for Epogen, ask your care team about financial assistance programs that may be able to help, including Amgen's patient assistance program.

Learn more about financial assistance and medicine cost-lowering tips.