Iron Deficiency Anemia in Cancer Patients in Palliative Care

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of anemia on the prognosis by comparing the severity of anemia with several prognostic factors including metastases, functional performance, and the feeding status of cancer patients.This study included 189 cancer patients, who received treatment in the palliative care unit (PCU). Demographic characteristics of the patients, anemia test panel results, chemotherapy, the status of metastases, functional performance, the length of hospital stay, and the status at discharge were recorded and compared between the study groups. Of the cancer patients in PCU, 85.7% had anemia and 88.4% had metastases. In patients with severe anemia, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Scale (ECOG) performance scores were lower and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher compared to the other patients in other groups (p=0.045, p=0.000). Glasgow Coma Scales (GCS) were found to be significantly lower in patients with moderate anemia than those without anemia. (p=0.049) We have shown that there is a correlation between the severity of anemia and poor prognostic criteria including low ECOG, GCS scores and high CRP levels in advanced cancer patients we treated in PCU. The early assessment of anemia and the adequate intake of nutrients along with iron supplements should be ensured in cancer patients during the disease course.