Can you have low iron with normal red blood cell count?
Your body needs oxygen to work properly. With fewer red blood cells or less hemoglobin, your body may not get enough oxygen. In anemia of inflammation, you may have a normal or sometimes increased amount of iron link stored in your body tissues, but a low level of iron in your blood.
What cancers cause low red blood cell count?
Certain types of cancer. Leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma damage bone marrow. Also, cancer that spreads to the bone or bone marrow may crowd out healthy red blood cells.
What if RBC is normal but hemoglobin is low?
Other patients have a normal RBC count but a low hemoglobin level. This situation occurs with iron-deficiency anemia, in which red blood cells have less hemoglobin than normal. Iron deficiency anemia is also referred to as hypochromic anemia.
What does a low RBC tell you?
A low RBC count could also indicate a vitamin B6, B12 or folate deficiency. It may also signify internal bleeding, kidney disease or malnutrition (where a person’s diet doesn’t contain enough nutrients to meet their body’s needs).
What diseases cause low iron?
Some of the most common causes of iron deficiency anaemia are outlined below.
- Monthly periods. In women of reproductive age, periods are the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia.
- Pregnancy.
- Gastrointestinal blood loss.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Other causes.
What cancers cause iron deficiency anemia?
In a study published in July 2013 in the Annals of Oncology, iron deficiency was most commonly seen in people with pancreatic cancer (present in 63 percent of participants), followed by colorectal cancer (52 percent) and lung cancer (51 percent).
What RBC number is considered anemic?
In men, anemia is defined as hemoglobin < 14 g/dL (140 g/L), hematocrit < 42% (< 0.42) , or RBC < 4.5 million/mcL (< 4.5 × 10 12/L). In women, hemoglobin < 12 g/dL (120 g/L), hematocrit < 37% (< 0.37), or RBC < 4 million/mcL (< 4 × 10 12/L) is considered anemia.
What diseases cause low iron levels?