Anemia that develops slowly is less likely to cause problems, because the body has time to adjust to it to some extent. Anemia due to a sudden loss of blood will probably need to be corrected right away. Whether you need a transfusion for anemia depends on many factors, such as how long it took for the anemia to develop and how well your body is able to cope with it. A red blood cell transfusion may be suggested if it drops below 8 g/dL. (Low iron or vitamin B 12 levels are less common causes of anemia in cancer patients.)Ī normal hemoglobin level is about 12 to 18 g/dL. People who have anemia may need RBC transfusions because they don’t have enough RBCs to carry oxygen to all of the cells in the body. When red blood cell transfusions are usedĪnemia: People who have low numbers of red blood cells (RBCs) are said to have anemia or be anemic. When the kidneys sense that there aren’t enough RBCs in the blood, they release a hormone called erythropoietin that causes the bone marrow to make more. The production of RBCs is controlled by the kidneys. Red blood cells (and all other blood cells) are normally made in the bone marrow, the soft inner part of certain bones. Then, the red cells bring carbon dioxide (CO 2) back to the lungs, where it’s removed from the body when we exhale. A substance in red blood cells called hemoglobin does this. Their job is to carry oxygen from the lungs through the bloodstream to every part of the body. Red blood cells (RBCs) give blood its color. Types of transfusions Red blood cell transfusions These patients often have very low blood cell counts after the procedure and need transfusions. This destroys the blood-making cells in the bone marrow. Bone marrow transplant (BMT) or peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) patients get large doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.When radiation is used to treat a large area of the bones, it can affect the bone marrow and lead to low blood cell counts.This commonly leads to low blood cell counts, and can sometimes put a person at risk for life-threatening infections or bleeding. Most chemotherapy drugs affect cells in the bone marrow.(See “Red blood cell transfusions” and “Platelet transfusions” in the next section.) Surgery to treat cancer may lead to blood loss and a need for red blood cell or platelet transfusions.Cancer can also lower blood counts by affecting organs such as the kidneys and spleen, which help keep enough cells in the blood.Ĭancer treatments may also lead to the need for blood transfusions:.This anemia is caused by certain long-term medical conditions that affect the production and lifespan of red blood cells. People who have had cancer for some time may develop something called anemia of chronic disease.Cancers that start in the bone marrow (like leukemias) or cancers that spread there from other places may crowd out normal blood-making cells, leading to low blood counts. Blood cells are made in the bone marrow, the spongy center of certain bones.Some cancers (especially digestive system cancers) cause internal bleeding, which can lead to anemia from too few red blood cells see “Red blood cell transfusions” in the next section.People with cancer might need blood transfusions because of the cancer itself. Why people with cancer might need blood transfusions It also helps to get the most out of the donated blood. This lets doctors give patients only what they need. Plasma can be further separated into clotting factors and certain proteins. Whole blood is usually separated into red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Blood has many parts (called components), and each one does a different job. But whole blood is rarely given as a transfusion. This whole blood may be called a unit or pint of blood, and equals about 450 milliliters or 16.7 ounces. People usually donate whole blood – blood taken right out of a vein through a needle. Blood transfusions save millions of lives in the United States every year. Transfusions of blood and blood products may be given to a person who is bleeding or who can’t make enough blood cells. A transfusion is putting blood or some part of it into a person’s vein through an intravenous (IV) line.
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