Prevalence of Iron, Vitamin B12 deficiency and inflammatory anaemia in treatment naive individual consecutive cancer patients: A cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundIn treatment naive Indian cancer patients, prevalence of iron, B12 deficiency and inflammatory anaemia in poorly known.Aims and ObjectivesTo evaluate prevalence of anaemia and iron, B12 deficiency along with inflammation in treatment naive individual consecutive cancer patients.Material and MethodsAll patients registered from 1st July 2019 till 31st December 2019 in Medical Oncology Outpatient Department were offered to undergo Iron profile, Serum B12 levels and Serum ferritin along with routine haematological investigations. Anaemia was defined as Haemoglobin < 11gm/dL. Transferrin saturation <20%, Serum Ferritin >300 microgram/litre and Vitamin B12 level <200 picogram/millilitre were ‘cut-offs’ used to define iron deficiency, inflammation and Vitamin B12 deficiency respectively. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, crosstabs and Bar Diagram in SPSS version 17.0. Pearsons Chi square test and Odds ratio was used to measure the strength of association with variables.Results311/441 (70.5%) were found eligible. Median age was 52 ± 15.9 (Range 18-84) years with 144/331(46%) females. The prevalence of anaemia was 61% ± 2.7 (95% CI 55-66%). Mean Haemoglobin was 9.86 ± 2.08 (range 3-16) gram/decilitre. 21/311(7%) had severe anaemia (Haemoglobin < 6.9 gm/dl). 135/311 (71%), 61/189 (32%) and 89/189 (47%) anaemic patients had iron deficiency, inflammation and B12 deficiency respectively. More than 70% of Gastrointestinal (50/69), Gynaecological(17/24) and Lung Cancer(18/22) patients had underling Iron deficiency.ConclusionTwo-third of cancer patients are iron deficient. B12 deficiency and inflammation are present in half and one-third patients respectively.