Abstract
To evaluate the relationship between perioperative blood transfusion (PBT) and survival time over 10 years after curative gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (EGC), we reviewed 776 patients retrospectively treated surgically in Miyagi cancer center from 1967 to 1986. Of these 776, 140 (18.1%) patients received PBT. The percentage of elderly (70 years or older), submucosal invasion, lower hemoglobin content (<14g/dl), total gastrectomy, chemotherapy and earlier operative periods (1967-1976) in transfused patients were significantly higher than those in non-transfused patients. A total of 653 patients (84.1%) survived over 10 years after surgery, 91 patients (11.7%) died of causes related to gastric cancer (unrelated causes), and 29 patients (3.7%) died of causes related to gastric cancer (related causes). In comparison with transfused patients to non-transfused patients there is not significant difference in cause of death. Using only unrelated causes in Cox multivariate analysis, the independent prognostic factors were elderly, male, earlier operative period, total gastrectomy and PBT. In our current study, PBT inversely affects long-term survival of the patients with EGC by increasing the number of death by some causes unrelated to gastric cancer. In conclusion, it is important to avoid an unnecessary PBT for long-term survival of the patients with EGC.
