Prognostic significance of perioperative blood transfusion in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The influence of perioperative blood transfusion on survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is still not convincingly determined. To investigate the effect of perioperative allogeneic transfusion on survival in stage II-IV squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, we studied a consecutive series of 105 patients undergoing primary tumor resection and neck dissection.


METHODS
Retrospective analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models with 16 variables.


RESULTS
Perioperative red blood cell transfusion was required in 64 (61%) patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the number of positive nodes and > or =3 units of red blood cell transfusion were an independent prognostic indicators. The calculated odds ratio for death after > or =3 units transfused was 5.79 (95% confidence interval, 1.56-21.53, p <.01).


CONCLUSIONS
More than 3 units of allogeneic red blood cells transfused might shorten the survival of patients with oral cavity cancer.
Taniguchi
Yoshitaka
Y
The First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita-city, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Okura
Masaya
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D065227:Transfusion Reaction