Anemia
What Is Anemia?
Anemia is the condition where there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body to maintain healthy and normal function. For example, without adequate oxygen, the heart must work harder. Anemia related to cancer and its treatments may cause fatigue and may impact your ability to do certain activities, but it is rarely life-threatening.
Why Do People Get Anemia During Treatments?
Anemia is a possible side effect of cancer and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Both the cancer itself and the treatments used to fight it inhibit the bone marrow’s ability to produce the normal, healthy amount of red blood cells, causing the patient to become anemic.
How Often Do Patients Get Anemia?
The incidence of chemotherapy-related anemia is highly variable. Whether or not a person develops anemia is highly dependent on the type of cancer and the type and frequency of chemotherapy received.
What Are the Symptoms of Anemia?
Fatigue affects more than three out of four cancer patients, and it is the most frequently reported symptom of anemia. Anemia may also make you weak, dizzy, feel short of breath, or faint.
Ways to Manage Anemia
- Get plenty of rest. Be sure to sleep at least 8 hours each night, and take a couple short naps during the day
- Limit your activities. Prioritize your daily tasks, and try to only do activities that are most important to you
- Engage friends and family. Friends and family will want to help; let them. They can help run errands, drive you to doctor’s visits, or do other things you may be too tired to do
- Eat a well-balanced diet. Maintain a diet that provides all the calories needed to keep up your weight and the protein required to aid in repairing tissues damaged by treatments. Ask your healthcare professional what diet is right for you
- Stand up slowly. Take your time. You may feel faint or dizzy if you stand up too quickly
Ways to Treat Anemia
- Blood transfusions—If a patient’s red blood cell count is too low, a blood transfusion may be required.
- Medications—Drugs known as red blood cell growth factors may be used to stimulate the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, avoiding the need for a blood transfusion. Click for more information on one of the available red blood cell growth factors. This site contains information about a treatment option for anemia. Please speak with your healthcare professional to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you.
- Diet—Eating foods rich in nutrients and adding a vitamin supplement of iron and folic acid may help anemia related to nutritional deficiencies.
Call Your Healthcare Professional or Caregiver If:
- You’re so tired that you are unable to perform your usual activities
- You feel dizzy, faint, or weak
- You feel short of breath
- Your heart feels like it is racing
This information does not replace advice from your doctor. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and any health or treatment questions that you may have.
