Conclusion:
anaemia, cancer, Anaemia, fatigue
ANAEMIA, SOLID TUMOUR, ANAEMIA, TUMOURS, CANCER, RECRUITMENT
The trial was feasible according to recruitment and attrition rates.
Intravenous iron increased haemoglobin and may improve fatigue specific
quality of life measures compared to placebo. A definitive trial is required
for confirmation.
Anaemia is highly prevalent in people with palliative solid tumours.Existing treatments such as oral iron or blood transfusions are limited by a
lack of efficacy or transient benefit.Intravenous iron has seen increasing adoption in the management of people
with anaemia, but evidence is lacking in the palliative cancer setting.
It is feasible to administer intravenous iron in this group of people in this
setting.People were willing and able to be randomised to receive intravenous iron or
placebo in this trial.An indication that intravenous iron may be efficacious as correcting anaemia
and improving quality of life in this group of people.
This randomised controlled trial supports the further evaluation of
intravenous iron to treat anaemia in people with palliative solid
tumours.The results signal the need for a definitive trial to further confirm these
findings.Further evidence may lead to the adoption of intravenous iron as a treatment
option for people in this setting.