Maurya P, Gupta A, Gupta N. Influence of blood transfusion on outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(10): 115683 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i10.115683]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Nishkarsh Gupta, Professor, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No. 139 FF IRCH, New Delhi 110029, India. drnishkarsh@rediffmail.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Letter to the Editor
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Mar 14, 2026 (publication date) through Mar 2, 2026
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World Journal of Gastroenterology
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1007-9327
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Maurya P, Gupta A, Gupta N. Influence of blood transfusion on outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(10): 115683 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i10.115683]
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2026; 32(10): 115683 Published online Mar 14, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i10.115683
Influence of blood transfusion on outcomes in patients with gastric cancer
Prateek Maurya, Anju Gupta, Nishkarsh Gupta
Prateek Maurya, Nishkarsh Gupta, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
Anju Gupta, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine and Critical Care, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
Co-first authors: Prateek Maurya and Anju Gupta.
Author contributions: Maurya P and Gupta A contribute equally to this study as co-first authors; Maurya P was responsible for conceptualization, literature search and review, writing - original draft, and writing - review and editing; Gupta A was responsible for literature search and review, writing - review and editing, and critical revision of the manuscript; Gupta N was responsible for conceptualization, supervision, writing - review and editing, critical revision of the manuscript, and final approval of the version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no financial or non-financial conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.
Corresponding author: Nishkarsh Gupta, Professor, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No. 139 FF IRCH, New Delhi 110029, India. drnishkarsh@rediffmail.com
Received: October 22, 2025 Revised: December 9, 2025 Accepted: December 30, 2025 Published online: March 14, 2026 Processing time: 131 Days and 5.3 Hours
Abstract
Chen et al's research provides valuable data supporting the cautious use of transfusions during gastric cancer surgery. However, to interpret causality, it must be acknowledged that recent tend-adjusted studies have consistently shown that the independent effect of transfusions may be smaller than that shown in unadjusted analyses. Future research should employ the following approaches: (1) Extended temporal characterization; (2) Functional immunological assessment; (3) Prospective designs incorporating detailed transfusion data; (4) Machine learning methods; and (5) Mechanistic studies. The relationship between transfusions and cancer treatment outcomes goes far beyond simple immunosuppression or inflammation. It reflects a complex interplay between patient vulnerability, surgical factors, and immune responses, requiring a comprehensive study across multiple biological levels and temporal dimensions.
Core Tip: The relationship between blood transfusion and cancer outcomes extends far beyond simple immunosuppression or inflammation. It represents a complex interplay of evolutionary biology, immunology, and modern medicine that demands sophisticated investigation. Only through comprehensive approaches integrating multiple biological scales and temporal dimensions can we transform blood transfusion from a necessary evil to a precision therapeutic intervention in surgical oncology, ultimately improving outcomes for the thousands of gastric cancer patients who undergo surgery each year.
