The influence of perioperative transfusions on the immunological profile of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Seventy patients with Duke's C adenocarcinoma scheduled to undergo operation were divided into two groups, those who received no perioperative transfusion (Group I, 26 patients) and those who received an average of 2.1 units per person of packed red blood cells perioperatively (Group II, 44 patients). Immunological parameters were tested before and one and five weeks after the operation in order to determine the influence of the transfusion on these parameters as well as that of the site of the tumor, whether right colon, left colon or rectum. Comparison of the mean values obtained before operation with those obtained one week post-operatively revealed a significant change in the number of B cells (p = 0.014), with a decrease in Group I and a rise in Group II, which was seen to persist for the mean values obtained five weeks after operation. The higher rates of recurrency and lower rates of survival reported in patients who received transfusion may be related to an as yet unidentified role of B cells or a subpopulation in the immune system, manifested in the suppression of activity of those components responsible for destroying micrometastases. In relation to the site of the tumor no definite conclusions can yet be drawn as to the prognostic importance of our findings concerning the immunological parameters.
Ziv
Y
Y
Department of Surgery "A", Beilinson Medical Center, Petah-Tikva, Israel.
Shohat
B
B
Gelerenter
I
I
Wolloch
Y
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged