Procrit: What to Expect, Side Effects, and More

Procrit (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, including 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 Procrit, it's a good idea to ask if there are other medicines you can take.

See Procrit prescribing information. 

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

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

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

Once your body has enough red blood cells, symptoms such as weakness and fatigue improve.

Procrit 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 (epoetin alfa-epbx) as a biosimilar to Procrit and Epogen to treat anemia caused by breast cancer treatment.

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

The most common side effects of Procrit are:

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  headache

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  joint, bone, or muscle pain

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  nausea or 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 or itching

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  neuropathy

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  low white blood cell count

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  soreness of the mouth

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  weight loss

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  depression

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  high blood sugar

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  low potassium

Procrit 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 Procrit 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 Procrit infusions.

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

If you have trouble paying for Procrit, ask your care team about financial assistance programs that may be able to help. Janssen has a Care Path program that can help offset the cost.

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