Blood transfusion does not influence the development of malignant tumours.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether blood transfusion given to women during childbirth favours tumour development in later life.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
County hospital, Sweden.


METHODS
621 women who were given blood transfusions during childbirth compared with 1216 matched controls who were not given transfusions at the time of delivery.


METHODS
Overall and cancer-specific mortality, cancer morbidity, time interval between transfusion and diagnosis or death from cancer.


RESULTS
After 21-31 years of follow-up of cancer morbidity and 22-32 years of overall and cancer-specific mortality, we found no significant differences between the groups. There were no differences in time from transfusion to diagnosis of malignant disease, or in time from transfusion to death from cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Blood transfusion given to women during childbirth does not promote malignant tumour development in later life, nor does it increase cancer mortality.
Skånberg
J
J
Department of Surgery, Uddevalla County Hospital, Sweden.
Frisk
B
B
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010298:Parity; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction