Table 3.

Recommendations of international societies on therapy of anemia and iron deficiency in cancer patients and national (Austrian) recommendations for the application of intravenous iron preparations

Society	Recommendations
NCCN [45]	Monotherapy with intravenous Fe in AID (ferritin < 30 ng/ml, TSAT < 20 %) indicated; no studies on iron monotherapy in FID; in patients with ferritin between 30 and 100 ng/ml and TSAT between 20 und 50 %, adequate storage iron can be assumed with the exception of patient receiving ESA which are at risk for FID. In the latter situation iron supplementation is recommended, if the expected benefit is larger than the expected risk. Iron should not be administered to patients with active infection!
ASH/ASCO [41]	Iron monitoring recommended. Iron supplementation is recommended in case of iron deficiency, but satisfactory data for detailed recommendations for iron therapy and monitoring are not available.
ESMO [47]	Periodic monitoring of iron homeostasis; intravenous iron induces greater increases in Hb than oral iron and reduces transfusion need.
EORTC [48]	Administration of iron should be restricted to patients with AID or FID.
Austrian Consensus Group	AID (TSAT < 20 % and ferritin < 30 ng/ml a ) Oral iron should preferentially be used in non-cancer patients without inflammation (CRP normal), cancer patients in complete remission and patients without inflammatory diseases.
	B) Intravenous iron should be administered in cancer patients with AID (TSAT < 20 % and ferritin <  100 µg/L b )
	A) Intravenous iron should be considered in cancer patients symptomatic due to FID
	B) Intravenous iron and ESAs should be considered in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia and planned or ongoing ESA therapy

NCCN National Comprehensive Cancer Network, AID absolute iron deficiency, FID functional iron deficiency

See above: ^a in cancer patients < 100 ng/ml, ^b ≥ 100 ng/ml