Anemia

What is anemia?

When you have too few red blood cells, your body tissues don’t get enough oxygen to do their work. This condition is called anemia. You may have these symptoms:

• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Dizziness
• Paleness
• A tendency to feel cold
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• Racing heart

Things that may help with anemia:

Try the suggestions listed in the section called “Fatigue” below if your anemia is making you feel very tired. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any of the symptoms listed above. Your doctor will check your blood cell count (also called a complete blood count or CBC) often during your treatment. If your red blood cell count falls too low, you may need a blood transfusion. Some people can be treated with a growth factor to boost the number of red blood cells the bone marrow makes.

You can get more information in our document called Anemia in People With Cancer. Call for a copy, or read it on our Web site.