Anemia in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of anemia in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial oncologic consultation.


METHODS
We reviewed 144 consecutive charts of patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC, who were seen in consultation at the Hamilton Regional Cancer Center (Canada) between January and June of 1998.


RESULTS
Eighty nine patients had pre-treatment hemoglobin (Hb) levels available and 30 of those patients (33.7%) had levels below 12 gm/dl. The likelihood of anemia increased with advancing stage of underlying disease, found in 25% and 40.8% of stage III and IV patients respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Although only 89/144 patients had Hb results available, 33.7% had hemoglobin level below 12 g/dl. Anemia was more common with an increased burden of disease. Shortness of breath and fatigue were more commonly reported in anemic patients.
Abuzallouf
S
S
Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Kuwait. zlouf@hotmail.com
Wright
J
J
El Hattab
O
O
D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality
D006454:Hemoglobins