Anemia Drugs Raise Risk of Blood Clots in Cancer Patients

Boston (DbTechNo) - A new study has found a link between cancer patients taking anemia drugs and an increased risk of blood clots in the lungs and legs.

The study was performed by researchers from the Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center.

Certain drugs are often prescribed to reduce risk of anemia, which is caused by various types of cancer related therapy but they may be doing more harm than good.

Anemia is characterized by a low red blood cell count and can be dangerous if it occurs and is not treated.

The study finding comes after a 10 year analysis of more than 55,000 cancer patients, and may result in a change of thought when treating cancer patients for anemia.

Anemia drugs were approved for cancer patients in the mid 90’s to reduce the rate of blood transfusions that cancer patients needed to undergo during chemotherapy.

Some of the more popular drugs to reduce risk of anemia on the market are Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp.

The study is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.