Correlation of fetal hemoglobin in different cancer patients and sickle cell anaemia: A review

Fetal hemoglobin is the main hemoglobin during gestation period. But this globin chain is replaced and is taken over by adult hemoglobin. Sometimes this switch from fetal to adult fails to occur leading to production of fetal hemoglobin as in case of sickle cell anemia. It is also observed that fetal hemoglobin expression is also seen under malignant condition. In malignancy the spleen, liver as well as gut acquire its ability to produce fetal hemoglobin. Certain HbF cells inducing factor such as stem cell growth factor and interleukin -3 also promote HbF erythropoiesis. HbF cells are indicated as a biomarker of tumour cells implicated in many carcinomas observed by immunohisto chemical investigations.