Darbepoetin Alfa Compared With Epoetin Alfa in Treating Anemia in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of a non-myeloid malignancy * Currently receiving or planning to receive at least 8 weeks of cyclic cytotoxic chemotherapy * Hemoglobin no greater than 11.0 g/dL * 18 and over * ECOG 0-2 * Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine less than 2 times ULN * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * More than 30 days since prior darbepoetin alfa or epoetin alfa * More than 30 days since prior participation in investigational device or drug trials Exclusion Criteria: * The following diagnoses are excluded: * Acute myeloid leukemia * Chronic myeloid leukemia * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia * Hairy cell leukemia * Burkitt's lymphoma * Lymphoblastic lymphoma * other primary hematologic disorder that would cause anemia (e.g., sickle cell anemia) * angina * congestive heart failure * New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease * hypertension * cardiac arrhythmia * other unstable or uncontrolled disease or condition that would affect cardiac function * pregnant or nursing * known seizure disorder * known sensitivity to study agents * clinically significant inflammatory disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease) * confirmed neutralizing antibodies to epoetin alfa * other disorder that would preclude study compliance or giving informed consent * other concurrent epoetin alfas * prior randomization to this study * other concurrent investigational agents or procedures