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Questions About Cancer? 1-800-4-CANCER

NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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hemoglobin  listen  (HEE-moh-GLOH-bin)

  A protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs in the body and carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Testing for the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is usually part of a complete blood cell (CBC) test. It is used to check for conditions such as anemia, dehydration, and malnutrition.