Blood transfusions in laryngeal cancer: effect on prognosis.

METHODS

To evaluate the influence of homologous perioperative transfusion on oncologic control and survival in patients with larynx and hypopharynx carcinomas, we conducted a retrospective study of 269 patients with larynx and hypopharynx carcinoma treated by major surgical procedures. A total of 20 variables were analyzed for each patient.

RESULTS

Perioperative transfusion was required in 86 (32%) patients, with packed red blood cells being used in all cases. Recurrence at a local, regional, or distant level was 31% for nontransfused and 35% for transfused patients. The 5-year adjusted survival was 68% for patients without transfusion and 63% for patients with transfusion. Neither the univariate nor the multivariate analysis showed that perioperative transfusion or the number of units of packed red blood cells used had any prognostic capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

Homologous perioperative transfusion did not imply a significant risk regarding global control or survival in our larynx or hypopharynx cancer patients.