ABSTRACT
Heavily treated oncology patients need transfusions of cellular blood components on a regular basis. Platelets, as well as units of erythrocytes, need to be ABO blood system compatible to the recipient. In platelet transfusions, rhesus D (RhD) compatibility needs to be discussed. It is preferred that all cellular blood components are leukoreduced, and for patients in a stem cell transplant programmes, gamma irradiated to prevent transfusion associated graft versus host disease.
