The Mesothelioma SOS Glossary - Anemia

Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin. Anemia causes the decreased ability of blood to transfer oxygen to the tissues causing hypoxia, or the deprivation of oxygen to tissues. Since it is vital for all tissue in the human body be adequately oxygenated, anemia can cause a wide range of medical problems. The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss, either through chronic low-volume loss or hemorrhage, deficient red blood cell production, or hemolysis, which is excessive blood cell destruction. Although anemia is the most common disorder of the blood, many times anemia goes undetected due to vague and ambiguous symptoms. People with anemia report feeling fatigued, weak, short of breath, and even may have pallor of the skin and mucus membranes. In patients with cancer, anemia can be a very serious problem. Because anemia restricts the transfer of oxygen, anemia prompts the body to compensate for the loss of oxygen by increasing cardiac output. In patients who are already weak, anemia can cause palpitations and can lead to heart failure. To treat anemia, most doctors will have patients take an iron supplement. However in patients with severe anemia due to conditions like mesothelioma, blood transfusions are oftentimes needed.