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Studies on the Development of Cancer Anaemia in Humans
Author(s) -
LOCKNER D.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1966.tb02374.x
Subject(s) - cancer , erythropoiesis , medicine , anemia , endocrinology , iron deficiency , reticulocyte , serum iron , chemistry , biochemistry , messenger rna , gene
A number of haematological parameters were studied in more than 100 patients with different lesions of the uterine cervix: cancer, cancer in situ, praecancerous changes and benign erosions (controls). Haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and erythrocyte number decreased in the cancer patients, MCH, MCHC and MCV remained unchanged. Serum iron concentration and plasma iron half time decreased, whereas plasma iron transport rate (PIT) increased. The cancer patients showed furthermore an increase of plasma volume, but unchanged erythrocyte volume and haemoglobin mass related to body weight; iron binding capacity showed a slight decrease. Erythrocyte copper decreased in cancer patients, plasma copper being unchanged; the white cell counts were unchanged except for an increase in the band cells. Patients with cancer in situ showed decreased plasma iron half time and serum iron concentration, PIT was increased as was the absolute reticulocyte number. All other values remaining unchanged. Patients with praecancerous lesions did not differ from controls except for an increase of Fe59 incorporation into erythrocytes. In cancer thus a normochromic normocyte dilution anaemia with increased erythropoiesis is found. Cancer in situ is connected with signs of an increased erythropoietic effort only, but no anaemia is found. Praecancerous lesions behave as controls.