Effect of autologous blood transfusion on the rate of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy

Objective To test the association between autologous blood transfusion (ABT) and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in a large group of contemporary patients. Patients and methods We analysed 1291 patients treated with RP; Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to graphically explore the association between ABT and BCR. Cox regression models addressed the association between ABT and BCR in univariate and multivariate analyses, after adjusting for preoperative prostate specific antigen level, pathological Gleason sum, extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion and lymph node invasion. Results Of all patients, 205 (15.4%) received perioperative ABT. The mean (median, range) follow-up was 43.2 (40.9, 0.3-145) months. BCR was recorded in 347 (26.9%) patients and the time to BCR was 25.2 (20.5, 0.3-107) months. Neither in univariate (P = 0.053) nor in multivariate (P = 0.2) Cox regression analyses was ABT a statistically significant or independent predictor of BCR. Conclusion Perioperative ABT does not predispose to a higher rate of BCR in patients after RP.