Review on Mechanism of Cytokines in Cancer-related Anemia

Cancer-related anemia is the most common complication in the process of cancer development. The types of anemia in tumor patients are multifarious, because of many influence factors of producing or consuming red blood cells, such as, chronic blood loss, hemolysis, iron metabolism disorder, renal insufficiency, hematopoietic dysfunction (bone marrow suppression), an increase of inflammatory factors, malignant tumor consumption, relatively insufficient of erythropoietin, et al. The specific mechanism of cancer-related anemia is not yet clear entirely, but inflammatory factors play decisive roles in the occurrence and development of cancer-related anemia, thereinto, hePcidin, IL-6, TNF-a and EPO cytokines play important roles. Improving anemia status in tumor patients could improve symptoms, quality of life, cognitive ability and social ability.