Iron absorption during epoetin alfa therapy for chemotherapy-associated anaemia.

Absorption of a physiological dose of ferrous iron was studied in 18 patients with solid malignancy receiving epoetin therapy for mild chemotherapy-associated anemia. The historical control group consisted of 25 iron replete volunteers (iron absorption 20 +/- 11% in males and 26 +/- 13% in females) and 21 patients with uncomplicated iron deficiency (iron absorption 71 +/- 19%). Iron absorption was increased in the majority of the cancer patients (iron absorption 59 +/- 35%). There were no significant differences in iron absorption between cancer patients who were iron replete or iron deficient according to current clinical practice guidelines (iron deficiency: transferrin saturation < 20% and/or serum ferritin < 100 ng/mL). Red cell iron incorporation was not disturbed in the majority (89%) of patients.

Carcinomatous meningitis in cancer of the uterine cervix.

Carcinomatous meningitis is extremely rare in cervical cancer. The diagnosis of carcinomatous meningitis is a difficult one when clinical symptoms are limited and radiographic imaging is normal. Demonstration of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid remains the gold standard to establish the diagnosis. For patients without bulky disease who can be treated with radiotherapy, standard treatment for carcinomatous meningitis is chemotherapy, which may be administered intrathecally. Despite the poor prognosis, treatment may result in effective palliation. We describe a 54-year-old patient who was diagnosed with carcinomatous meningitis in the course of metastatic cervical cancer and who responded to administration of intrathecal methotrexate.