Perioperative blood transfusion and outcome after resection for colorectal carcinoma

The degree of immunomodulation by perioperative blood transfusion and its effect on oncological surgery remain controversial. A major problem with previous clinical studies has been the inadequate patient population in each and the presence of confounding variables. To resolve some of the controversy, all studies published between 1982 and 1990 were reviewed using the statistical method of Mantel-Haentszel-Peto to determine a cumulative estimate of the direction and magnitude of this association. Some 20 papers were included in the analysis, representing 5236 patients. The cumulative odds ratios (95 per cent confidence interval) of disease recurrence, death from cancer and death from any cause were 1.80 (1.30-2.51), 1.76 (1.15-2.66) and 1.63 (1.12-2.38) respectively. These results support the hypothesis that perioperative blood transfusion is associated with an increased risk of recurrence of colorectal carcinoma and death from this malignancy.