Anaemia is a condition that affects more than half of cancer patients at diagnosis and during treatment which further impacts their quality of life on an everyday basis.

Cancer patients with anaemia show reduced response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy due to tumour hypoxia caused by anaemia. This condition is further associated with aggressive tumour growth and metastasis. Thus, anaemia in a patient who is battling cancer needs attention and appropriate treatment.

According to Dr Sonal Jain - MD, Art of Healing Cancer (AOHC), Hematopathologist DM AIIMS, "Right Treatment begins with Right Diagnosis. A battery of tests (Complete blood count with peripheral smear, Iron Profile, Vitamin B12/ folate levels, Serum LDH, Coomb's test etc.) can help in picking up patients with the treatable cause of low haemoglobin or Anaemia. If these are not the reasons, patients can then be treated judiciously with Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (erythropoietin, darbepoetin etc. also called ESA, with or without iron supplementation and blood transfusions (when required)."

Appropriate short-term usage of iron supplementation (when needed) doesn't increase cancer risk. Judicious use of ESAs also doesn't increase the risk of disease progression. Instead, appropriate anaemia management optimises cancer outcome, and response to therapy and ensures good quality of life.

Through the Art of Healing Cancer Initiative (AOHC) as per the Co-Founder, Art of Healing Cancer and Guru Harikrishn Foundation, "The intent is to make every individual who is battling with cancer aware of this information so that they have a good quality of life. In our endeavour to facilitate treatment of cancer patients, we are launching a Comprehensive Anaemia Panel for cancer patients with an intent to provide a detailed diagnosis and treatment guidance."

Guru Harikrishn (GHK) Foundation as suggested by the Co-Founder GHK Foundation has developed special subsidised packages for Cancer patients with anaemia so that the most can be benefited.