IMMUNOLOGICAL PROFILE CHANGES FOLLOWING PERIOPERATIVE AUTOLOGOUS VS HOMOLOGOUS BLOOD-TRANSFUSION IN ONCOLOGIC PATIENTS

To determine the effect of perioperative blood transfusion on immunolo gical parameters, T cells, T-cell subsets, and concanavalin A-induced suppression were measured in 25 patients with colorectal and breast ca ncer. During the operation, 15 patients received autologous blood and 10 patients had homologous transfusion. The immunological status was a gain determined after curative surgery. Before surgery, normal percent age of T lymphocytes, decreased ratios of helper/suppressor cells, and impaired con A-induced suppression were found. Following the operatio n, the helper and suppressor cell percentages reversed to normal, wher eas the con A-induced suppression remained impaired. This change was s ignificantly more pronounced in patients who received autologous blood transfusion than in the other group. Autotransfusion has an impact on immune parameters that might prove less detrimental to the clinical o utcome in oncologic surgery than homologous transfusion. (C) 1994 Wile y-Liss, Inc.