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Why some patients with prostate cancer develop a mild anemia with macrocytosis

2006-07-10 12:48:03 · 2 answers · asked by ofo 1 in Health Diseases & Conditions Cancer

2 answers

"Macrocytosis" is a term used to describe the appearance of the red blood cells under the microscope. It means that the red cells are larger than they should be, and it usually means that there is some factors that interfere with normal red blood cell production. Macrocytosis is seen with anemias - like the anemia of B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency, as well as other conditions that do not involve the bone marrow directly - such as liver disease, alcoholism, or certain toxin exposures. In cancers that spread to the bone, the presence of the cancer cells in the bone marrow can cause red blood cells to be macrocytic.
As far as prostate cancer specifically, it depends on what treatments are being used...radiation can affect the bone marrow and cause the red blood cells to develop abonrmally and be macrocytic. Other than radiation therapy or chemotherapy used for treating the prostate cancer, I don't know of any other reason for a person with prostate cancer to have macrocytic anemia.

2006-07-11 17:20:15 · answer #1 · answered by drwag1 3 · 0 0

That's a medical question. I did not develope that.
However, at the same time, my ex was out, most of the time. IDivorced before full recovery. I was in a deep depression for three years. Bad eating habits. Could be a cause.

2006-07-10 19:54:15 · answer #2 · answered by ed 7 · 0 0

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