History colon cancer stageII ( 3years out) now anemic LOW H&H LOW IRON DVT SEPT 9 WHOLE LEG/HOSPITAL MONTH?

TIBC 478H
TRANSF% 2%L
IRON/TIBC 489H
IRON 11 L
FERRITIN 9L
HEM 9.0L
HEMC 25.0L
RDW 19.0 H
MALE LEVELS APPLY ( BLOOD TRANS.4/25/07 FOLLOW UP TESTING ENDOSCOPY/COLONSOCOPY NORMAL RED BLOOD CELLS ARE OVAL SHAPED. HEMATOLIGT WAS CALLED REGARDING IRON LEVELS REPEATED TEST TWICE, THEY DON’T HAVE ANSWER FOR THE ODD LEVEL RATIOD. DR. SAID THE LEVELS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CORRECT. REPEATED A WEEK LATER SAME RESULT. ANYONE OUT THERE WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE? ON COUMADIN FOR LIFE DUE TO DVT IN WHOLE LEFT LEG 9/06 ONCOLIGST SAID COULD RELATE TO CANCER IN SYSTEM SOMEWHERE BUT NOT FOUND AT THIS TIME? WHAT SHOULD I BE REQUESTING TO HAVE DONE. PET SCAN?OTHER BLOOD WORK. LIVER TEST IS NORMAL RETIC NORMAL

I don’t have any special expertise in the fine points of iron ratios, but it sure looks like iron deficiency anemia. The high TIBC, low transferrin saturation (TRANSF%, I assume), low iron, low ferritin, and non-elevated reticulocyte count seem to point toward iron deficiency (and possibly the oval-shaped cells and the high RDW). It seems like what they list as IRON/TIBC is really IRON *plus* TIBC. Maybe it is how they figure out the total amount of transferrin. In any case, it does seem that 2% of the transferrin is saturated.

In any case, it seems like it is more important to focus on the reason for the iron deficiency. Obviously you are worried about a recurrence of the cancer, especially because of the DVT. It seems that they are focusing on a GI source of bleeding. There are different tests that can detect the source of GI bleeding, such as angiography, red cell scintigraphy, and CT. The 3rd source below talks a lot about the different options. You could talk to your doctor about them. Of course, there are also other causes of iron-deficiency anemia besides cancer. Coumadin will definitely make you more prone to bleeding from various problems in the GI tract, and then there are dietary issues to consider, too.

Good luck, and I hope they are able to figure out what is going on. I also hope it is nothing serious.

Is it Cancer? Pet Lumps & Bumps – vetvid Episode 023

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