Effect of Human Recombinant Erythropoietin before Autologous
Blood Donation in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Nozomi Shinozuka, Isamu Koyama, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Tsunenori Arai, Yoshikatsu Numajiri, Naoki Nagashima, Takashi Matsumoto, Masahiko Ohata, Haruyuki Anzai and Ryozo Omoto

First Department of Surgery, Saitama Medical School

To evaluate the efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) for gastrointestinal cancer surgery, we performed preoperative blood donation in 31 patients (3 with esophageal cancer, 5 with gastric cancer, 9 with liver cancer, 4 with pancreatic cancer, 3 with biliary tract cancer, 2 with colon cancer, 5 with rectal cancer), who were to undergo elective surgery. These patients were divided into two groups by r-HuEPO administration methods. Fifteen patients with hemoglobin concentrations under 13.0 g/dl received r-HuEPO administration subcutaneously before autologous blood donation and on the same day of autologous blood donation (pre EPO (+) group). Sixteen patients with hemoglobin concentrations more than 13.0 g/dl received r-HuEPO administration once a week without pre r-HuEPO (pre EPO (-) group). In the pre EPO (+) group, initial hemoglobin concentrations were 11.9±1.0 g/dl and increased to 12.6±1.3 g/dl, indicating a significant increase. The amount of donated autologous blood in the pre EPO (+) group and the pre EPO (-) group were 914±195 ml, 1,040±219 ml. This study indicates the safety of autologous blood donation and the effectiveness of rh-EPO administration before autologous blood donation in anemic patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Key words
autologous blood donation, recombinant human erythropoietin, gastrointestinal cancer surgery

Reprint requests
Nozomi Shinozuka First Department of Surgery, Saitama Medical School 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-cho, Iruma-gun, Saitama, 350-0495 JAPAN

Accepted
January 27, 1999

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