Cancer, Chemotherapy, Anemia and Fatigue: What’s the Connection?

A recent medical study proved what many cancer patients have long known: fatigue during and after chemotherapy is the most prevalent and long-lasting cancer-related side effect.

If you have cancer, you may just think that feeling tired is part of the disease. However, feeling unusually tired may be due to anemia, a common side effect of your cancer and many chemotherapy treatments.

Chemotherapy helps eliminate cancer cells, but it also eliminates good, healthy cells, such as blood cells. It can decrease your red blood cell (RBC) levels, causing anemia. Because it is the hemoglobin in your RBCs that carries oxygen throughout your body, a shortage of these oxygen-rich cells can cause your energy level to drop.

Cancer-related fatigue affects 78% of cancer patients, many of whom describe it as a total lack of energy. Some 60% of those patients report that fatigue affects their lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain and depression, and 89% said it had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities.

If you are concerned about weakness and fatigue, learn more by visiting other areas of this site, which include: controlling cancer-related fatigue, understanding blood test results, treatment options, and support networks for cancer patients

Chemotherapy & Anemia

Anemia is a side effect experienced by more than 60% of patients undergoing chemotherapy. The condition, a low level of red blood cells, is characterized by feelings of weakness, fatigue, dizziness, irritability, shortness of breath and chills.

Why does it happen? Chemotherapy drugs can reduce the bone marrow's ability to make red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body, providing the energy needed for normal activities.

1. Chemotherapeutic agents kill all rapidly dividing cells, both cancerous and healthy, including blood cells.
2. Chemotherapy not only destroys red blood cells, it suppresses the bone marrow's ability to produce new ones, causing anemia.
3. The hemoglobin in red blood cells carries and releases oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen acts like fuel for the body, providing energy for muscles and organs to work.
4. Energy levels can plummet due to lack of oxygen-rich red blood cells.

Anti-cancer drugs doesn't keep blood cells from getting the the oxygen they need. It actually kills all rapidly dividing cells, including blood cells, and thus, not enough red cells carry oxygen around the body.

To support normal movement in anemic patients, the heart tries to make up for the shortage of oxygen in the blood. It works harder to move the red blood cells more quickly and deliver oxygen faster. This increased workload can put an additional burden on the heart. Thus, you are most likely to feel the effects of anemia during any kind of physical activity.

Your doctor will check your blood count often during treatment. If your red count falls below normal levels, your doctor may suggest several treatment options. You may need treatment to increase your red blood cell count. To view all your treatment options and determine whether you are getting the best therapy, visit the Treatment section of the Anemia & Cancer site.