Reply #4: Let me try this one

[onebigbadwulf]

Anemia can happen in a number of ways - including disease and nutritional deficiencies.

Since your dad had stomach cancer, my best guess is that he might be B12 deficient. There are cells specialized in the stomach to make an enzyme which binds to B12 and gets absorbed your intestine. If his blood is macrocytic (big undivided red blood cells) he'll need to get a B12 shot.

If his blood is microcytic (many tiny red blood cells) he has an iron deficiency.

Otherwise, it's just normal chemo-induced anemia. Most chemotherapies prevent cells of the body from reproducing - including hair/gut/and blood cells. This is why patients' hair falls out.

So if you're worried get a blood test, but just remember it takes a while for these things to return to normal.


And that's my two cents from a year of medical school!