Red blood cell transfusions in advanced cancer near the end-of-life: narrative review
RBC transfusions in advanced cancer and end-of-life care should be considered on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing patient-centered decision-making and ethical considerations. Though the benefit is often short, they may improve the quality of life for highly selected patients. Risks such as adverse reactions and resource allocation concerns must be considered. Further research is needed to establish evidence-based guidelines and standardized assessment tools to evaluate transfusion efficacy in this population.
Authors
- Marco Romelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9470-1917)
- Andrea Sbrana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4460-5282)
- Cosimo Chelazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5156-8638)
- Diego Martinelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9324-2871)
- Daniele Marelli
- Cristina Cornali
Institutions
- Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale degli Spedali Civili di Brescia (IT)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana (IT)
- University of Brescia (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
- Published
- 2025-10-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2025-005579
- Primary Topic
- Cancer survivorship and care
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00