Anemia in patients on combined androgen block therapy for prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of combined androgen block therapy on hemoglobin and hematocrit values in patients with prostate cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and thirty-six patients with adenocarcinoma of prostate were treated with combined androgen block (orchiectomy and flutamide 250 mg, tid). Complete blood counts were determined before and after 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of therapy.


RESULTS
The hemoglobin and hematocrit levels declined significantly in all patients and at all the time points after treatment (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Prostate cancer patients treated with combined androgen block would develop obvious anemia. Recombinant human erythropoietin can be used to treat patients with severe anemia.
Qian
Li-Xin
LX
Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029,China. qianlx@jlonline.com.
Hua
Li-Xin
LX
Wu
Hong-Fei
HF
Sui
Yuan-Geng
YG
Cheng
Shuang-Guan
SG
Zhang
Wei
W
Li
Jie
J
Wang
Xin-Ru
XR
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005485:Flutamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D005485:Flutamide