title: Blood transfusion and survival in colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effect of blood transfusion on the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Potentially curative resections for colorectal cancer were performed in 266 patients who were followed prospectively, with a minimum follow-up of 41 months. They were divided into transfused (n = 121) and nontransfused (n = 145) groups according to their perioperative blood transfusion requirements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significantly more rectal tumors (chi 2 = 9.5, df = 1, P = 0.002) and fixed tumors (chi 2 = 4.5, df = 1, P = 0.03) in the transfused group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to recurrence-free survival (chi 2 = 1.1, df = 1, P = 0.3) and overall survival (chi 2 = 2.8, df = 1, P = 0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we have found no statistically significant effect of perioperative blood transfusion on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sibbering
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Locker
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hardcastle
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Armitage
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins