Perioperative homologous blood transfusion and survival in patients with surgically treated renal cell carcinoma

Between 1990 and 1998, 99 patients, 14 transfused and 85 non-transfused, with pathological stage I and II renal cell carcinoma underwent radical nephrectomy. The criterion of blood transfusion was hemoglobin level under 8 g/dl or decrease of hemoglobin level off 3 g/dl at the time of operation. The median follow-up was 57 months (range 17-105). Series I (transfused patients): mean age was 61 years (range 37-78), male female ratio 1.3:1, mean number of transfusion was 1.5 (range 1-3). Series II (nontransfused patients): mean age was 60 years (range 20-81), male female ratio 1.5:1. Five-year disease free survival in series I was 61 versus 93% in series II (p < 0.0042). The study support the hypothesis that perioperative blood transfusion may represent a negative prognostic factor in patients with renal cell carcinoma.