BLOOD-TRANSFUSION DOES NOT HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON SURVIVAL AFTER OPERATION FOR COLORECTAL-CANCER

The effect of perioperative blood transfusion on cancer progression re mains controversial because retrospective clinical studies have produc ed conflicting results. We have collected data prospectively on 379 pa tients undergoing curative surgery for colorectal adenocarcinoma and a ssessed the effect of variables, including blood transfusion, on survi val. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis has been carried ou t. When the end-point for analysis used was death due to recurrent col orectal carcinoma and non-cancer deaths were censored, there was no di fference in cancer-specific survival between transfused and non-transf used patients. Survival analysis was also carried out without censorin g the non-cancer deaths and clearly demonstrated how the statistical a nalysis and data interpretation could be distorted by age-related non- cancer deaths. The incidence of recurrence of colorectal carcinoma was not greater in the transfused group than in the non-transfused group. We conclude that blood transfusion should not be withheld in colorect al surgery for fear of worsening the prognosis.