Anemia in hematological malignancies

Abstract: Hematologic malignancies tend to infiltrate bone marrow, thereby causing anemia. In myelodysplastic syndrome, anemia is the hallmark of disease. With the progression of myelofibrosis and multiple myeloma in the bone marrow, almost all patients eventually develop anemia. On the other hand, the incidence of anemia is less than 50% in lymphomas. The pathogenesis of anemia in (hematological) malignancies is complex. The most common etiology of anemia is chronic inflammation caused by cytokine secretion by tumor cells and mediated by hepcidin. Anemia correlates with the number of neoplastic cells, impairs quality of life and is associated with lesser survival expectancy. Consequently, it was incorporated into various prognostic indices as a negative predictor. Recently, it has been supplemented with molecular markers. Except for myelodysplastic syndrome, therapeutic options for anemia are limited. The treatment of the underlying malignancy remains a standard of care.

Key words:
anemia; lymphoma; multiple myeloma; myelodysplastic syndrome; myelofibrosis