Benefits of blood transfusions in palliative care patients with advanced cancer.

• DOI: 10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.e24090
• Publication Date: 2021-06-02T15:09:25Z
• Authors: Joana Catarina Li...; Sara Marote; Maria Cândida Silva; Jose Ferraz Gonça...
• Keywords: Performance status

e24090 Background: Anemia is highly prevalent in patients with advanced cancer and adversely affects quality of life. There limited data on the frequency, clinical utility effectiveness red blood cell transfusions (RBC), no randomized controlled trials or practice guidelines this subject are available. The aim study was to evaluate clinician practices RBC transfusion an oncologic palliative care unit (PCU), its impact patients’ symptoms, overall survival identify predictive factors for survival. Methods: Retrospective cohort all who had received over a 3-year period, after admission PCU symptomatic control, as inpatients outpatients. All histologically confirmed malignant tumors were not under anti-cancer treatments. Patients’demographics, laboratory features, symptoms mortality reviewed. Survival analysis estimated using Kaplan-Meier method Cox's regression used multivariate analysis. Results: We identified 179 median age 68 years [30-93], 60% male, mean Charlson comorbidity index 8.9 (SD ±2.3). majority gastrointestinal (42%) genitourinary (35%) malignancies. A total 435 units, during 301 episodes recorded. (58%) performed inpatients. combination low haemoglobin (Hb) levels main reason (80%). Asthenia/fatigue most frequent symptom (68%). Prior transfusion, (73%) ECOG-performance status (ECOG-PS) greater than 2. pretransfusion Hb 6.9 g/dL 48% above 7 g/dL. Symptomatic benefit post-transfusion achieved 36% patients. statistically significant association between ECOG-PS found (p = 0.005). Median 41 days (IC95% 30.6-51.4). On analysis, level pre-transfusion, significantly associated Conclusions: Transfusion more liberal care, increasing iatrogenic risk, while consuming valuable resource. However, does provide relief, should be offered higher functioning. Post-transfusion benefit, pre-transfusion hemoglobin seem independent predictors Further high-quality needed develop validated measures objective functional changes likely positively impacted by transfusion.