Issues in transfusion therapy in the patient with malignancy

Transfusion medicine has emerged in the wake of therapeutic successes in almost every branch of medicine to optimize blood product support and minimize consequent complications. The role of transfusion therapy has become increasingly more critical as improved therapeutic regimens augment the survival of the patient with malignancy. Perhaps more so than in any other field, recognition of long-term sequelae of transfusion in oncology depends upon short-term success. Every day, blood products are collected, selected, modified, and created with specific clinical intentions in mind. The practitioner in hematology/oncology needs to understand both the benefits and consequences of transfusion therapy, with an increased emphasis on the long-term implications and complications.