Hemoglobin Level and Tumor Growth*

T h e association of a n e m i a w i t h cancer has been repor ted for m a n y d i f ferent types of an imals . I t has been repea ted ly observed tha t the later stages of mal igr a n t g r o w t h s are charac te r ized by a severe a n d progressive depress ion in the b lood h e m o g l o b i n level. T h i s has been f o u n d to be t rue of m a n y d i f ferent types a nd [ocations of cancer in m a n , mice, rats, rabbits , birds, :tc. (I , 2, 4, 5, 9, I3, I5)In r e p o r t i n g the i r observat ions of this effect m o s t workers have descr ibed it as a " secondary a n e m i a " a nd in genera l cons ider it to be the resul t of the genera l Loxic act ion of the cancer on the host . Such cond i t ions as h e m o r r h a g e , infect ion, the presence of necrot ic tissue, a n d genera l debi l i ta t ion have been sugges ted as m e d i a t i n g factors (I , 3, I4)"