Anemia is common in cancer patients. A variety of factors contribute to anemia in the cancer patient with iron deficiency being an important mechanism. It can be secondary to a reduction in iron deposits or a functional deficiency with impaired iron absorption in the small intestine and decreased iron availability. Apart from symptoms related to low levels of hemoglobin such as dyspnoea, palpitations and dizziness, anemia negatively impacts survival and accentuates fatigue in cancer patients. Every oncologic patient with anemia should have their iron parameters assessed; the diagnostic investigation should be determined by the type of tumor and the signs and symptoms exhibited by the patient. Functional iron deficiency is also related to response failure during treatment using erythropoietin-stimulating agents in cancer patients and nowadays there is scientific support for the use of intravenous iron supplementation in order to improve hematopoiesis.
Anemia; iron; cancer
