[Influence of blood transfusion on postoperative prognosis of stage I (No) lung cancer].

Clinical and basic investigations suggest that perioperative blood transfusions may increase cancer recurrence by nonspecific immunosuppression. Fifty-three patients with Stage I (No) lung cancer treated by surgery in the University of Chicago Medical Center from 1970 to 1986 are reported. There were 18 squamous carcinoma, 29 adenocarcinoma and 6 large cell carcinoma. Of these 53 patients, 30 (57%) received blood transfusion (BT) and 23 (43%) did not (non-BT). A disease-free survival rates of BT and non-BT groups were 43.3% (13/30) and 78.3% (18/23), respectively. Mortality rates after recurrence of BT and non-BT groups were 46.7% (14/30) and 8.7% (2/23) (P less than 0.01). Difference in mortality rates of patients who received red blood cells only (30.8%) and multiple blood transfusions (58.8%), was not significant (P greater than 0.05). This study confirms others reports that perioperative blood transfusions may adversely influence the survival of Stage I (No) lung cancer patients.