Prevalence and Associated Factors of Anemia among Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Prospective Study

Table 2

Data of anemia among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (n = 120).

Variable					N (%)
Prevalence of anemia	Nonanemic				172 (58.9%)
	Anemic				120 (41.1%)
Severity of anemia n = 120	Mild				68 (23.2%)
	Moderate				41 (14%)
	Severe				11 (3.7%)
Hb level mean at baseline (g/dL)	11.12 g/dL (SD 0.641)
Hb level mean after receiving chemotherapy (g/dL)^a	10.34 g/dL (SD 0.728)
Anemia types n = 120	< 80	Microcytic	< 32	Hypochromic	91 (75.8%)
	80–100	Normocytic	32–36	Normochromic	21 (17.5%)
	> 100	Macrocytic	> 36	Polychromic	8 (6.6%)
Classification of anemia n = 120	Iron deficiency anemia				91 (75.8%)
	Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency				20 (16.7%)
	Blood loss				9 (7.5%)
Treatment of anemia n = 39	Iron therapy				11 (28.2%)
	Vitamin B12				6 (15.4%)
	Vitamin C				6 (15.4%)
	Multivitamins				5 (12.8%)
	Erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs)
	Blood transfusion				11 (28.2%)

^aThe mean of Hb level is the average mean for the three follow-ups. Classification of anemia based on MCV and MCHC [23].