The successful treatment of anemias depends on identifying and treating the underlying cause: blood loss, a nutritional deficiency, cancer, bone marrow infiltration, chronic illness, inflammation, or decreased response to erythropoietin. Through laboratory test results and a physical examination, a physician can determine the cause of your anemia and identify the best approach to treating it.

This may include:
1. Nutritional supplements - Iron, B12 or folic acid
2. Treatment of infections, inflammations or malignancies
3. Erythropoietin
4. Blood transfusions

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Anemia, one of the most common blood disorders, occurs when the level of healthy red blood cells (RBCs) in the body becomes too low, or the RBCs don’t have enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. In anemia, the blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of the body. As a result, people with anemia can face variety of complications, including fatigue and stress on bodily organs. In severe or prolonged cases of anemia, the lack of oxygen in the blood can cause serious and sometimes fatal damage to the heart and other organs of the body.

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Causes of Anemia are as follows:

Blood loss: excessive bleeding such as hemorrhages or abnormal menstrual bleeding.

Chronic illness secondary to refractory anemia: inflammatory GI/GU diseases, malignancies (cancer), arthritis, kidney or liver failure, and acute and chronic infections.

Cancer therapy: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy.

Infiltration (replacement) of bone marrow with cancer.

Hemolysis: Breakdown or destruction of red blood cells.

Decreased red cell production due to low levels of erythropoietin which promotes red blood cell production.

Source: www.cancersupportivecare.com

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The symptoms of anemia will vary according to the type of anemia, the underlying cause, and the  underlying health problems. Symptoms common to many types of anemia are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting
• Pale skin, including decreased pinkness of the lips, gums, lining of the eyelids, nail beds and palms
• Rapid heart beat (tachycardia)
• Feeling cold
• Sadness or depression
• Decreased sexual function
• Difficulty sleeping
• Decreased appetite

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