[Frequency of anemia in patients with ovarian cancer: assessment of our own data in connection with the European Cancer Anemia Survey (ECAS)].

The authors summarized the hemoglobin values of 174 patients in 850 chemotherapy courses with ovarian cancer in the year 2001 on the base of the European Cancer Anemia Survey's results. Chemotherapy was given in first-line in 88, in second-in 68 and in third- and fourth-line in 16 and 2 patients. Patients were divided into 2 treatment (cisplatin and non-cisplatin) groups according to the different anemia-producing characteristics. The average Hb levels in the two groups were as 11.1 g% and 11.2 g%, and the median Hb values were as 11.2 g% and 11.7 g%, respectively (p = 0.3604). The Hb values were lower than the normal Hb limits (G1-4) in 70.5% and in 61.8% in the two groups. There was not found significant difference between the two treatment arms in the G3-4 toxicity (2.9%, 1.1%, p = 0.8572). Data of the authors underline the importance of prophylaxis and treatment of anemia in chemotherapy courses of ovarian cancer patients.