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Anemia and quality of life including anemia-related symptoms in patients with solid tumors in clinical practice

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore in a clinical setting the association between hemoglobin (Hb) level and quality of life (QoL) including anemia-related symptoms in patients with cancer disease. The study was performed in the outpatient units at the Oncology Clinic, Karolinska University Hospital, during spring 2004. One hundred-sixty patients responded to the questionnaires and Hb levels were available in 133 of their medical files. Anemia was not a common problem as only 12 out of 133 patients had an Hb level below 110 g/L. The Hb level was not related to general QoL but to FACT-An Trial Outcome Index (r s=0.186, p=0.036), measuring anemia-related symptoms as well as functional and physical well-being. However, two patients with Hb<110 g/L had minor anemia-related symptoms (FACT AnS ≥ 40), while 22 patients with Hb ≥ 110 g/L had more pronounced symptoms (FACT AnS<40). There was no difference in anemia-related symptoms between patients with and without ongoing cancer treatment, but patients with ongoing cancer treatment had decreased physical (p=0.025) and functional (p=0.011) well-being as compared to those without ongoing treatment. Patients with lung cancer on cancer treatment had lower FACT-An Trial Outcome Index than patients with breast cancer on treatment (mean values 71.8 and 99.1 for patients with lung and breast cancer, respectively, p=0.009), and also a tendency to lower Hb levels (mean values 119 and 127 for patients with lung and breast cancer, respectively, p=0.052). Physical and functional aspects might be more important to consider than increasing the Hb level to reduce the fatigue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karolinska Pharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden

    E. Rämme Bremberg & S. Eksborg

  2. Oncology Clinic, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden

    Y. Brandberg, C. Hising & S. Friesland

  3. Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Y. Brandberg

  4. Department of Woman and Child Health, Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    S. Eksborg

Authors
  1. E. Rämme Bremberg
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  2. Y. Brandberg
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  3. C. Hising
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  4. S. Friesland
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  5. S. Eksborg
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Correspondence to E. Rämme Bremberg.

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Bremberg, E.R., Brandberg, Y., Hising, C. et al. Anemia and quality of life including anemia-related symptoms in patients with solid tumors in clinical practice. Med Oncol 24, 95–102 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685909

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685909

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