Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Blood transfusion and survival in colorectal cancer

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of blood transfusion on the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: Potentially curative resections for colorectal cancer were performed in 266 patients who were followed prospectively, with a minimum follow-up of 41 months. They were divided into transfused (n=121) and nontransfused (n=145) groups according to their perioperative blood transfusion requirements. RESULTS: There were significantly more rectal tumors2=9.5, df=1, P=0.002) and fixed tumors (χ 2 =4.5, df=1,P=0.03) in the transfused group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to recurrence-free survival (χ 2 =1.1, df=1,P=0.3) and overall survival (χ 2 =2.8, df=1,P=0.09). CONCLUSION: In this study we have found no statistically significant effect of perioperative blood transfusion on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Opelz G, Sengar DP, Mickey MR, Terasaki PI. Effect of blood transfusions on subsequent kidney transplants. Transplant Proc 1973;5:253–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Opelz G. Improved kidney graft survival in nontransfused recipients. Transplant Proc 1987;19:149–52.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Woodruff MF, Van Rood JJ. Possible implications of the effect of blood transfusion on allograft survival. Lancet 1983;1:1201–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jeannett M, Neri-Legendre C, Rescoedres C, Leski M. Does blood transfusion induce a non specific suppression of cell-mediated immunity? Transplant Proc 1982;14:325–8.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gascon P, Soumbos NC, Young NS. Immunological abnormalities in patients receiving multiple blood transfusions. Ann Intern Med 1984;100:173–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gantt CL. Red cells for cancer patients. Lancet 1981;2:363.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cochran AJ, Mackie RM, Grant RM,et al. An examination of the immunology of cancer patients. Int J Cancer 1976;18:298–309.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Burrows L, Tartter P. Effect of blood transfusion on colonic malignancy recurrence rate. Lancet 1982;2:662.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Francis DM. Relationship between blood transfusion and tumor behaviour. Br J Surg 1991;78:1420–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Frankish PD, McNee RK, Alley PG, Woodfield DG. Relation between cancer of the colon and blood transfusion. BMJ 1985;290:1827.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dukes CE. The classification of cancer of the rectum. J Pathol Bacteriol 1932;35;323–32.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Williams NS, Jass JR, Hardcastle JD. Clinicopathological assessment and staging of colorectal cancer. Br J Surg 1988;75:649–52.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dixon WJ. BMDP Statistical Software, Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Francis DM. Perioperative blood transfusion and recurrence of cancer: is there a direct association? Aust NZ J Surg 1990;60:743–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Harrison S, Steele RJ, Johnson AK, Jones JA, Morris DL, Hardcastle JD. Predeposit autologous blood transfusion in patients with colorectal cancer: a feasibility study. Br J Surg 1992;79;355–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. British committee for standardization in hematology blood transfusion task force. Guidelines for autologous transfusion. Clin Lab Haematol 1988;10:193–201.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Busch OR, Hop WC, Hoynck Van Papendrecht MA, Marquet RL, Jeekel J. Relationship between blood transfusion and recurrence of colorectal cancen: results from a prospective randomized trial. Eur J Surg Oncol 1992;18(Suppl 1):29.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Sibbering, D.M., Locker, A.P., Hardcastle, J.D. et al. Blood transfusion and survival in colorectal cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 37, 358–363 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02053597

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02053597

Key words

Navigation