Evaluation of the effect of routine packed red blood cell transfusion in anemic cervix cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy

Purpose: It is well established that anemia predicts diminished radiocurability in cervix cancer. However, the therapeutic benefit of measures to correct the anemia remains controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of routine transfusion in patients with hemoglobin level (hb-I) less than or equal to11 g/dl. Methods and Materials: Since 1985, it has been departmental policy to attempt to correct hb-l less than or equal to11 g/dl before and/or during radiotherapy by red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) in patients undergoing radical radiotherapy for primary cervix cancer. To assess the benefit of RBCT, the charts of 204 patients (FIGO: IB-IV) treated until 1997 were reviewed. Parameters analyzed for their impact on disease-specific survival (DSS), pelvic control (PC), and metastases-free survival (MFS) included pretreatment hb-I, treatment hb-I, stage, tumor size, and lymph node status. To determine any differences in outcome according to type of anemia, a separate analysis was performed, grouping patients by cause of anemia (tumor vs. other medical illness related). Results: Each of the parameters tested was significantly correlated with the end points studied in univariate analysis. Patients whose hb-I were corrected (18.5%) had an outcome that did not differ significantly from that of nontransfused patients, whereas DSS, PC, and MFS (all: p < 0.001) were significantly decreased in nonresponders to RBCT. Subgroup analysis showed no impact of hb-l in patients with other medical illness-related anemia (n = 12). In multivariate analysis treatment, but not pretreatment, hb-1 remained predictive for DSS, PC, and MFS. Persistent anemia was associated with a significantly increased risk of death (relative risk: 2.1) and pelvic failure (relative risk: 2.4) compared with nontransfused patients. If only patients with tumor anemia were considered, the respective risks increased (2.7; 3.6). None of the patients with other causes of anemia recurred, whether or not their hb-l was maintained. Assessment of the therapeutic gain in patients who responded to RBCT showed improved PC (p = 0.02) and a trend toward increased DSS (p = 0.06), but no effect on MFS after adjustment for tumor size and lymph node status. Conclusion: Treatment hb-1, in addition to tumor size and lymph node status, independently predicted outcome. Although our final multivariate analysis showed a therapeutic benefit for patients whose hb-I was corrected, the response to RBCT was disappointing. Results of our subgroup analysis suggest that the cause of anemia in patients with cervical cancer warrants in-depth investigation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc.