Abstract

BAYO, E. et al. Incidencia y prevalencia de anemia en pacientes que reciben radioterapia. Oncología (Barc.) [online]. 2004, vol.27, n.9, pp.19-26. ISSN 0378-4835.

PURPOSE: Anemia is the most frequent hematological alteration of cancer patients, but few data are available on the prevalence and incidence of anemia of patients receiving radiotherapy, that are analyzed in this study, as well as the influence of treatment ro correct anemia at different moments of appearance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, multicenter and observational study was done in 472 patients. Hematological controls were carried out before irradiation, when it was started, and then every two weeks during the treatment and at the end of it, in order to follow the amount of hemoglobin and the appearance of any sign of anemia. RESULTS: Our study shows that 28% of the patients receiving radiotherapy had anemia before therapy began, and 27% developed anemia during the treatment. Forty per cent of the patients were treated with erythropoietin at some time during the study. This group showed a significant increase of hemoglobin to about 2 g/dl. Patients who became anemic before or during radiotherapy and were not treated with erythropoietin, showed an increase of anemia incidence during radiation therapy, with a peak of 8% in the final week of it. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence of anemia in patients receiving radiotherapy are high. Treatment is essential because keeping low levels of hemoglobin during radiotherapy are associated to a poor prognosis. Human recombinant erythropoietin is a powerful drug to correct anemia, regardless the moment when the treatment was started.

Keywords : Anemia; Radiotherapy; Eruthropoietin; Hemoglobin level.

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