OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of tumor related anemia in patients with cancer in the digestive system.

METHODSA total of of 10 218 inpatients were diagnosed with cancer in the digestive system at the Peking Union Hospital from January 2000 to June 2009, which included esophageal cancer(n=1118), gastric cancer(n=2418), carcinoma of duodenum(n=134), carcinoma of small intestine(n=85), hepatocellular cancer(n=1508), cholangiocarcinoma(n=546), pancreatic cancer (n=1242), colon cancer(n=1582), and rectal cancer(n=1585). Patients with hemolytic anemia or hepatorenal dysfunction were excluded. Data pertaining to sex, age and hemoglobin were obtained by chart review.

RESULTSAccording to the China criteria of anemia, the overall anemia rate was 27.5% (2813/10 218). The prevalence of anemia was 64.7% for small bowel cancer, 60.5% for duodenal cancer, 42.6% for colon cancer, 36.6% for cholangiocarcinoma, 33.3% for gastric cancer, 22.6% for pancreatic cancer, 20.4% for rectal cancer, 18.7% for hepatocellular cancer, and 10.0% for esophageal cancer. Anemia was more common in older patients in those with gastric cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer. There were more male anemic patients in those with cancer in the small intestine or cholangiocarcinoma. However, females were more commonly seen in those with hepatocellular cancer or pancreatic cancer.

CONCLUSIONSAnemia is common in patients with cancer in the digestive system. The prevalence of anemia is higher in patients with cancer in the duodenum carcinoma or small intestine, followed by colon cancer and gastric cancer, and then esophageal cancer. Anemia may be associated with age or gender in some types of cancer in the digestive system.