A Study of Blood Volume and Anemia in Cancer Patients

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Abstract
1. Hematologic findings are reported in 33 patients with cancer, in 8 patients with arrested cancer and in 10 patients without cancer. 2. Blood volume was variable and seemed to bear no direct relation to the disease. Prolonged impaired alimentation due to dysphagia or apathy in 3 patients was associated with lower than expected blood volume. 3. Recalculation of total hemoglobin on the basis of expected normal blood volume demonstrates a reduction in hemoglobin concentration when blood volume is increased and conversely in an elevation of hemoglobin concentration when blood volume is reduced. 4. A marked increase above "normal" in blood volume was found in 3 patients who had received large amounts of stilbestrol. Withdrawal of drug in the 1 patient observed resulted in reversion toward normal values. 5. Testosterone increased body weight, total blood volume and total circulating hemoglobin in 3 patients without active cancer. In 2 patients with far advanced cancer there was increase in weight, in 1 there was increase in blood volume, but in both there was progressive decrease in total hemoglobin.