The recognised negative impact of anaemia on cancer patient QOL further strengthens the need for correcting this condition, and, indeed, a number of large studies in cancer patients with a variety of solid tumours or nonmyeloid haematologic malignancies receiving chemotherapy have shown a positive relationship between increases in Hb level and improvements in QOL (Abels, 1992; Leitgeb et al, 1994; Glaspy et al, 1997; Demetri et al, 1998; Gabrilove et al, 2001; Littlewood et al, 2001; Shasha et al, 2003). The gene discussed is GSTM1; the disease is cancer.