[Anemia in cancer patients before treatment].

Thirty per cent of cancer patients suffer from anemia before any treatment. This anemia is caused by haematopoiesis troubles related to cytokines production and by endogenous erythropoietin deficiency. Clinically, its symptoms, including fatigue, spoils patients'quality of life.

Surgical margins in cutaneous melanoma (2 cm versus 5 cm for lesions measuring less than 2.1-mm thick).

Background: This study addressed the question of whether limited surgery for primary malignant melanoma with a 2-cm margin is as good as a 5-cm margin. An update of a 16-year follow-up is provided.

Methods: Nine European Centers, over a period of 5 years, prospectively randomized 337 patients with melanoma measuring less than 2.