Epidemiological and nonclinical studies investigating effects of iron in carcinogenesis—A critical review

• Published in: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology Vol. 89; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15
• Main Authors: Beguin, Yves, Aapro, Matti, Ludwig, Heinz, Mizzen, Lee, Österborg, Anders
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.01.2014; Elsevier Scientific
• Subjects: anaemia; Anemia; Animals; Carcinogenesis; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - drug effects; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - metabolism; Hematology; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Human health sciences; Humans; Hématologie; Intravenous iron; Iron - administration & dosage; Iron - adverse effects; Iron - metabolism; Iron deficiency; Iron Metabolism Disorders - complications; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Models, Animal; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - etiology; Nonclinical; Parenteral iron; Sciences de la santé humaine; Tumor progression; Parenteral iron; Anemia; Tumor progression; Iron deficiency; Intravenous iron; Carcinogenesis; Nonclinical
• ISSN: 1040-8428; 1879-0461; 1879-0461
• DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2013.10.008

Abstract The efficacy and tolerability of intravenous (i.v.) iron in managing cancer-related anemia and iron deficiency has been clinically evaluated and reviewed recently. However, long-term data in cancer patients are not available; yet, long-term i.v. iron treatment in hemodialysis patients is not associated with increased cancer risk. This review summarizes epidemiological and nonclinical data on the role of iron in carcinogenesis. In humans, epidemiological data suggest correlations between certain cancers and increased iron exposure or iron overload. Nonclinical models that investigated whether iron can enhance carcinogenesis provide only limited evidence relevant for cancer patients since they were typically based on high iron doses as well as injection routes and iron formulations which are not used in the clinical setting. Nevertheless, in the absence of long-term outcome data from prospectively defined trials in i.v. iron-treated cancer patients, iron supplementation should be limited to periods of concomitant anti-tumor treatment.