Study: Iron Deficiency Anemia Strongly Linked to Colorectal Cancer

Iron deficiency anemia in men and women over age 50 appears to be strongly linked to colorectal cancer, and failure to investigate the anemia in older patients may lead to a delay in diagnosis, according to British researchers.

In a study of 440 patients with colorectal cancer, the researchers found that 38 percent had iron deficiency anemia at the time of diagnosis and that half of these had iron deficiency anemia for at least six months prior to diagnosis.

But despite the linkage, the researchers reported in the journal Colorectal Disease that screening patients with iron deficiency anemia for colorectal cancer would result in detection of the disease a year earlier for "less than one percent."

"The investigation of iron-deficiency anemia in older patients is important," the researchers concluded, "but in order to detect 26 patients with colorectal cancer a year earlier, the investigation of approximately 5000 patients would be required."

Other Sources: Colorectal Disease