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Effect of blood transfusions on immune function: IV. Effect on tumor growth
Author(s) -
Paul Waymack J.,
Chance William T.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930390305
Subject(s) - medicine , immune system , blood transfusion , sarcoma , incidence (geometry) , survival rate , surgery , retrospective cohort study , immunology , pathology , physics , optics
Blood transfusions have previously been shown in retrospective studies of oncologic surgical patients to be associated with an increased incidence of tumor metastases and decreased long‐term survival rate. The possibility that these findings were due to patients with larger, more aggressive tumors requiring the transfusions could not be excluded. To eliminate this possibility, the effect of transfusions on tumor growth in a rat sarcoma model was tested. In this study it was shown that allogeneic transfusions increase the rate of tumor growth and decrease mean survival times. This effect was not demonstrated when syngeneic transfusions were used. These data indicate that the diminished long‐term survival seen in transfused patients undergoing tumor resection may be due to an impaired immunologic response to the tumor. Avoidance of this effect might be possible through the use of human syngeneic (autologous) transfusions.