Preoperative Intravenous Iron Therapy in Patients With Gastric Cancer

Preoperative Intravenous Iron Therapy in Patients With Gastric Cancer

The main objective of this investigator initiated study is to study if preoperative intravenous iron is effective in reducing need for allogenic blood transfusion in patients with gastric cancer who will undergo a standardized gastrectomy including both total and subtotal gastrectomies. The hypothesis is that intravenous iron reduces the need for perioperative blood transfusions.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Patients with gastric cancer who will undergo a gastrectomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients under 18 years old
• Patients not in full understanding
• Hemoglobin levels > 155 g/l for women and >167 g/l for men (upper reference limits for the laboratory of Helsinki University Hospital district) preoperatively.
• Transferrin saturation level >50%
• Emergency gastrectomy
• Palliative gastrectomy
• Acute bacterial infection
• Known hypersensitivity to the active substance, to ferric carboxymaltose or any of its excipients, or to other parental iron products
• Clinical evidence of iron overload or disturbances in the utilisation of iron
• Patients <35 kg
• Dialysis therapy for chronic renal failure
• Hemochromatosis
• Polycythemia vera
• Pregnancy
• Patients in need of direct blood transfusion ( Criteria for this are hemoglobin < 80 g/l or < 90 g/l if the patient is symptomatic or has a history of heart disease)