ABSTRACT
Blood transfusion (BT) is often used adjunctly in the routine and emergency management of a variety of surgical and medical conditions. BT therapy can thus be a life saving measure in situations where a patient suffers excessive blood loss; in the maintenance of patients with chronic anaemias; and to support patients with neoplastic diseases, particularly when they are receiving chemotherapy. BT-induced immunomodulation could however adversely affect the prognosis in patients undergoing curative surgery for cancer by promoting tumor growth. The BT-induced immunomodulation which results in the beneficial effects in transplantation, in immunotherapy for recurrent spontaneous abortions, and in the recurrence of Crohn's disease, may cause deleterious effects resulting in the increased risk of recurrence of cancer. The effect of BT on recurrence of cancer has also been observed in patients who had resection of lung tumors. Available data both from human studies and from experimental animals on the effect of BT on tumor recurrence/growth are contradictory.
