Perioperative management of cold agglutinin autoimmune hemolytic anemia in an older adult undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

Abstract

Patients diagnosed with bladder cancer are most frequently older adults who have multiple chronic conditions. Frequently, new conditions are unmasked during preoperative evaluation for surgery such as radical cystectomy. We report the case of an 85 year old male with muscle invasive bladder cancer who was concurrently diagnosed with cold agglutinin hemolytic anemia. This case demonstrates the importance of close attention to underlying chronic conditions in older adults considering major cancer surgery and the need for multidisciplinary management in medically complex cases. Keywords: Bladder cancer, Aging, Multiple chronic conditions, Hemolytic anemia