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The MASCC Textbook of Cancer Supportive Care and Survivorship pp 319–322Cite as

Anaemia in Cancer Patients

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Abstract

Anaemia and iron deficiency are frequently observed in patients with solid tumours or haematological malignancies and more so when they are treated with chemotherapeutic agents. Fatigue, impaired physical function and reduced quality of life (QoL) are a consequence of anaemia.

There are many reasons for anaemia: blood loss due to cancer or surgery, impaired erythropoietic activity and disturbed iron homeostasis related to inflammatory cytokines, malnutrition and rarely vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.

Chemotherapy-induced anaemia (CIA) can be treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), iron preparations for intravenous (i.v.) or oral administration, red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and combinations of these treatments.

Since the publication of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) anaemia treatment guidelines in 2010 and the last review of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) (anaemia treatment and other guidelines), clinical experience with ESAs and iron preparations including myelodysplastic syndromes have increased considerably.

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Acknowledgements

This manuscript is based on Management of anaemia and iron deficiency in patients with cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines † .

M. Aapro, Y. Beguin, C. Bokemeyer, et al. on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Committee. In press, Annals of Oncology, 2018.

Disclosure: Matti Aapro has received grants, or speaker honoraria, or serves on an advisory board or speaker’s bureau for Amgen, Hexal, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Hospira, Sanofi-Aventis, Sandoz and Vifor Pharma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Center, Institut Multidisciplinaire d’Oncologie, Clinique de Genolier, Genolier, Vaus, Switzerland

    Matti Aapro

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Correspondence to Matti Aapro .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Ian Olver

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Aapro, M. (2018). Anaemia in Cancer Patients. In: Olver, I. (eds) The MASCC Textbook of Cancer Supportive Care and Survivorship. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90990-5_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90990-5_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90989-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-90990-5

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