Anaemia and Cancer

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General Information
Anaemia is a general term meaning a lack of red blood cells in the circulation and there are many possible ways in which anaemia can arise. As red cells have the job of transporting oxygen around the body, anaemia is one of the common causes of breathlessness and tiredness.

Cancer is a general term for malignant tissue no matter of which type or location in the body. Cancer can give rise to anaemia by various routes - due to the direct effects of the cancer cells in the body, or as a result of biologically active products of the cancer cells or even as a consequence of the treatment of cancer.

The mechanisms behind cancer-related anaemia can be understood by looking at the main ways in which all anaemias occur.

Types of anaemia

Broadly speaking, anaemias are of two types:

• those in which red cells are lost too quickly, for example a) from bleeding, especially when this has gone on for some time or b) where the red cell is more 'fragile' and therefore has a much shorter life span.
• those in which the red cells are not manufactured properly in the bone marrow. This might be due to disease of the bone marrow itself, or to a lack within the body of the 'building blocks' of blood, such as iron or certain vitamins, so that the process of blood cell manufacture is impaired. Quite often more than one type of cause will be present at the same time.

Anaemia from blood loss
Some tumours, particularly of the digestive system, can bleed so slowly that the bleeding itself may not be obvious. If it continues over a long period of time then eventually the person becomes anaemic and goes to the doctor feeling tired.

This happens if the rate at which blood is lost is faster than the body's ability to replace the red blood cells. Healthy bone marrow produces the equivalent of about 20ml of fresh blood daily - over 70 litres per year - to replace the normal needs of the body. The limiting factor in long-standing blood loss is usually the availability of the raw materials for the bone marrow to work with rather than the capacity of the bone marrow to respond. Iron is an important component of the oxygen-carrying molecule called haemoglobin, which is contained within the red cells and a lack of iron therefore holds back the production of new, properly formed red cells.

Anaemia due to iron deficiency is the characteristic finding with a cancer of the colon (large bowel), stomach or gullet. Often the anaemia is the only clue to the presence of a bleeding source somewhere. Any person who develops iron deficiency anaemia with no obvious cause should be investigated for the presence of a bleeding point within the digestive system. Fortunately not all bleeding sources turn out to be cancers.

Of course any source of regular or prolonged bleeding can possibly cause iron deficiency, so a check should also be made for blood loss in the urine or, in a woman, from the womb although both of these sources are more likely to cause obvious blood loss.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.