Cancer Treatment Today » Thalassemia http://cancertreatmenttoday.org Knowledge is Power Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:10:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Procrit for anemia of Thalassemia Minor – pro http://cancertreatmenttoday.org/procrit-for-anemia-of-thalassemia-minor-pro/ http://cancertreatmenttoday.org/procrit-for-anemia-of-thalassemia-minor-pro/#comments Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:25:47 +0000 M Levin, MD http://cancertreatmenttoday.org/?page_id=241 Individuals with thalassemia minor have only one copy of the beta thalassemia gene (together with one perfectly normal beta-chain gene). They are heterozygous for beta thalassemia.

Persons with thalassemia minor have (at most) mild anemia. This situation can very closely resemble that with mild iron-deficiency anemia. However, persons with thalassemia minor have a normal blood iron level (unless they have are iron deficient for other reasons). No treatment is necessary for thalassemia minor.

Not much is known about using erythropoietin in these patients. Case reports suggest that it is only useful when there are concomittant indication, such as renal failure or cardiac conditions or symptoms.

Biagio Di Iorioa et al,
Efficacy of Erythropoietin on Dialysis in Patients with Beta Thalassemia Minor Blood Purification Vol. 22, No. 5, 2004

Pérez Ferrer A, Ferrazza V, Gredilla E, de Vicente J, de la Rua A, Larrea A. Bloodless surgery in a patient with thalassemia minor. Usefulness of erythropoietin, preoperative blood donation and intraoperative blood salvage.Minerva Anestesiol. 2007 May;73(5):323-6.

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