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  • Title: Effect of blood transfusions on disease-free interval after rectal cancer surgery.
    Author: Chiarugi M, Buccianti P, Disarli M, Galatioto C, Cavina E.
    Journal: Hepatogastroenterology; 2000; 47(34):1002-5. PubMed ID: 11020864.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess retrospectively the impact of perioperative blood transfusions on disease-free interval after curative surgery of rectal cancer. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and seven (107) subjects (65 men and 42 women, median age: 67) underwent anterior resection of the rectum for rectal cancer between 1990 and 1996. Thirty-six (37%) were transfused perioperatively. Outcome variables measured were: age, sex, distance of the tumor from the anal verge, type of stapled anastomosis, protective colostomy, cancer-free margin in the specimen, grading and staging, leak of the suture line, transfusion, number of blood units given, and adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: Transfusion, nodes involvement and adjuvant therapy had a significant impact on disease-free interval at the univariate analysis. The estimated probability of cancer-free survival at 5 years was 81% for the not transfused, and 63% for the transfused patients (P < 0.05). At multivariate analysis, nodes involvement resulted significantly and independently related to time to recurrence (P < 0.05) but also perioperative blood transfusion showed an important role as independent risk factor for rectal cancer relapse (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that blood transfusion is likely to have a detrimental effect on disease-free interval after resective surgery of rectal cancer.
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