The review presented the causes and pathogenesis of anemia in cancer patients. Also anemia negative impact on patients’ quality of life and chemotherapy efficacy and current clinical treatment reccomendation with use of erytropoiesis stimulating agents and iron supplements are discussed. Special attention is paid on the effectiveness of modern intravenous iron preparation. The authors review literature data on clinical application of intravenous iron drugs including the data from controlled, randomized trials. Of late, effective and safe iron intravenous drugs are proposed. Formulas of calculation of an overall iron deficiency in the body have been developed as well as their doses and modes of administration. Over the past years, our understanding of the importance of anemia in cancer patients has dramatically increased. The importance of hemoglobin levels in determining the quality of life of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy has become increasingly clear both from randomized trials and large, community – based, open-label studies. Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) was first approved for the treatment of anemia in patients with chronic renal disease. Before erythropoietin was available, blood transfusion was the only treatment option for sever cancer-related anemia. Potential complications associated with blood transfusion are transmission of infectious diseases, transfusion reactions, alloimmunization, over – transfusion and immune modulation with possible adverse effects on tumor growth. It is performed the analyses of effectiveness of EPO therapy in any oncological patients and shown predictors for prognostication efficiency of this therapy. 

In clinical oncological practice, the intravenous iron is frequently administered.  However, this therapy can lead to excess iron and cause exacerbation of the disease. Understanding the pathogenesis of anemia is important for the selection of therapy and minimizing the risk of complication. Further study of patients with oncological and hematological pathology complicated by anemia is required to form a final conclusion on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the intravenous iron administration in these categories of patients.

Keywords: anemia in neoplastic disease, hematological malignancies, solid tumors, treatment.