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 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:25 pm Post subject: Transfusion Raises Death Risk |
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Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Released: Tue
18-Nov-2008, 10:00 ET
Transfusion of Fresh Blood Could Play a Role in Surgical Outcomes of
Cancer
A study presented in the December issue of Anesthesiology suggests
that the use of fresh red blood cells in transfusions for cancer
patients could improve cancer recurrence and long-term survival
rates.
Newswise — Among other findings, a study presented in the December
issue of Anesthesiology suggests that the use of fresh red blood cells
in transfusions for cancer patients could improve cancer recurrence
and long-term survival rates.
Blood transfusion during certain cancer surgeries is associated with
increased cancer recurrence and reduced survival rates. Why this
happens is not well understood.
A study by Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu, Ph.D., and his research group from Tel
Aviv University, however, offers unique and surprising insights that
could open doors for important research in humans in the near future.
Dr. Ben-Eliyahu and his colleagues used rat models of leukemia and
breast cancer to help determine whether blood transfusion is an
independent risk factor for cancer recurrence/progression and to
understand what aspects of the transfusion cause the alleged harmful
effects.
“The results of our study clearly indicate that blood transfusion is
an independent risk factor for cancer recurrence in the animal models
we used,” said Dr. Ben-Eliyahu. “But our study also yielded two
surprising findings. First, the storage time of the transfused blood
was the critical determinant of harmful effects: fresh blood had no
harmful effects. Second, and even more surprising, we found that red
blood cells, not white blood cells, caused the effects we observed.”
It is commonly believed that white blood cells within transfused blood
are responsible for known and alleged harmful effects of transfusion,
but this belief was actually tested and not confirmed regarding cancer
progression, said Dr. Ben-Eliyahu.
The group also found a correlation between harmful effects of
transfused blood and the amount of time it was stored, with those
effects being most significant at nine days storage time or longer.
There appeared to be no difference in harmful effects between
transfused blood taken from the same animal or from a different
animal, he said.
“The current common approach in cancer patients is to use transfused
blood depleted of white blood cells,” said Dr. Ben-Eliyahu. “But we
found that removal of white blood cells was ineffective in our
setting. Rather, we suggest a different approach: the use of fresh red
blood cells for cancer surgeries. For the first time, we have shown in
animal models that donor red blood cells, rather than white blood
cells or other blood components, can be a critical factor in how blood
transfusions affect cancer. ”
Dr. Ben-Eliyahu said that the results of his study suggest the need
for studies in cancer patients, including retrospective and
prospective studies, to determine if alterations in blood transfusion
practices can indeed improve patient outcomes.
Anesthesiologists: Physicians providing the lifeline of modern
medicine. Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists
is an educational, research and scientific association with 43,000
members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical
practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.
For more information visit the ASA Web site at http://www.asahq.org.
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