If you are assigned to receive epoetin alfa, you will be given epoetin alfa once a week during your regularly scheduled chemotherapy. You will receive treatment with epoetin alfa for up to 6 courses of chemotherapy (usually around 5 months, but may be longer). Epoetin alfa will be given to you as an injection under the skin. Once a week, you will have around 1 tablespoon of blood drawn to check the level of hemoglobin in your blood. If your hemoglobin rises above a certain level, treatment with epoetin alfa may be temporarily stopped until your hemoglobin level decreases.