title: Anemia in patients on combined androgen block therapy for prostate cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029,China. qianlx@jlonline.com.
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Hong-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yuan-Geng
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: Shuang-Guan
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D005485:Flutamide