Effects of Perioperative Transfusion in Gastric Cancer

Choi, Seung Ho; Shin, Dong Woo; Yoo, Chang Hak; Hyung, Woo Jin; Noh, Sung Hoon; Min, Jin Sik

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Blood transfusion is known to trigger the immune system suppressing the immune capacity of the host. We demonstrated the clinico-pathological characteristics and prognostic effects of perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 1710 patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer between January 1991 and December 1995. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients (7.5%) in the transfused group developed postoperative infection-related complications, whereas 28 patients (2.9%) in the non- trasnfused groups showed the complications. (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in 5-year-survival rates of stages I and II between two groups. In contrast, the 5-year-survival rates of stage III and stage IV were significantly different between the transfused group and the non- transfused group. In multivariate analysis, transfusion, type of operation, tumor size, depth of invasion and lymph node involvement were significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that blood transfusion is a significant risk factor for postoperative infections. In addition, perioperative transfusion is an unfavorable prognostic factor in a subset of advanced gastric cancer.