PharmD Info

[Sanjay]

I am a 27 Y/O Female and I take supplements on a regular basis for my low hemoglobin levels. Im worried if this would interfere with my cancer treatment. I have been diagnosed with Stage-II breast cancer.

[Maria Sony Paul]

Low hemoglobin levels a.k.a anemia can be caused due to the cancer condition itself or maybe even the treatment methods followed for the cancer.
Taking a complete blood count (CBC) will help measure your hemoglobin level and other characteristics of your red blood cells (such as their size)and also at the same time it can also help your doctor figure out what might be causing it.
Sometimes no cause can be found other than “anemia of chronic disease.” This type of anemia is often found in people with long-lasting problems like congestive heart failure, inflammatory diseases, or cancer. In this case, taking supplements are completely safe and beneficial.
However, in certain cases, the intake of supplements can make further complications in a cancer patient. So, it is better to get a CBC test done and let your physician decide on whether or not to continue the supplements further.