Blood Banks and Their Critical Role in Cancer Treatment

Cancer care is complicated. It’s not just about chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. In many cases, timely blood access is relevant as well. Blood banks can play a crucial, often life-saving role  in the treatment and recovery of cancer patients – yet blood banks are an oft unseen and underappreciated component of cancer care.

Let’s look at how blood banks support cancer patients, why blood donations are more important than ever, and what hospitals like Sugam Hospital are doing to maintain a steady supply to support continued care.

Why Cancer Patients Need Blood

Cancer affects how the body is able to form and manage healthy blood cells. This happens its effects in many ways: 

• Chemotherapy and radiation can injure the bone marrow, the part of the body that makes blood.
• Blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma reduce blood cell production.
• Removing tumors surgically can result in serious loss of blood.
• The cancer itself, or medications, can lead to poor blood counts for example, bleeding internally or having too few platelets.

When blood counts become low, the patient can become weak, and less able to tolerate treatment. In these instances, blood transfusions are not optional, they are necessary.  

The Different Types of Blood Components Used

Not every kind of transfusion is the same. Blood banks actually separate a donation into various components so that they can match that whole donation with the needs of that particular patient.

• Red Blood Cells (RBCs): Improves oxygen delivery, which is frequently needed for patients with anemia which may be from chemotherapy.
• Platelets: To assist with clotting. A great number of cancer patients will need platelets when their counts drop too low.
• Plasma: Helps with bleeding control, used for patients with liver complications or various cancers.
• White Blood Cells (less common): Sometimes given to patients with extreme infections who cannot produce them.

Each component can be used several times during a cancer patient’s treatment – making a consistent blood supply very important.

The Role of Blood Banks

As blood storage and distribution centers blood banks not only store blood they also act as blood resources:

• Collect and process blood from healthy donors.
• Test blood for infections including HIV and hepatitis.
• Separate blood components for therapeutic use.
• Match blood with blood type and compatibility.
• Preserve blood in cold-chain storage to ensure viability and safe keeping.

Ultimately provide on-demand supply blood through coordination and creation of demand partnerships with hospitals.

How Often Do Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment Need a Transfusion?

While every case is unique, some patients may require:

• Weekly or bi-weekly platelet transfusions during chemotherapy
• RBC transfusions after each cycle of treatment
• Multiple transfusions during and/or after surgery
• Transfusion in an emergency where internal bleeding or complication occurs

One cancer patient can need dozens of blood products over time.

What Can Help?

Voluntary blood donation initiatives, particularly in workplaces and universities

Public awareness about how blood donations impact cancer patients

A better infrastructure in local and hospital-run blood banks

Access to technology to manage donor databases and outreach to donors when supplies are being requested

Like many hospitals that provide cancer care in-house, Sugam Hospital often relies on its own blood bank or network of centers where they do blood donations and transfusions, so there is continuity in patient care, and there are no lags when administering treatment.

The Effect of Every Donation

When you donate blood, you are not only helping someone in the time of a trauma or surgery; you are also supporting someone living with cancer as they go through another round of treatment, fight off infections, or get back their energy.

One unit of blood can be separated into three components that can be utilized to help three different patients. For each cancer patient, these transfusions pierce their survival, recovery, and quality of life.

At Sugam Hospital, we know that timely blood transfusions are essential to providing safe and effective cancer treatment, regardless if it is a scheduled treatment or needed urgently. Our Blood Bank In Chennai allows us to provide blood transfusion for each of our patients, ensuring our oncology care is always ongoing.

We hope those who are eligible will consider safe, voluntary blood donation – it is not only life-saving in trauma, but also for those dealing with long-term diseases, like with cancer.

Blood banks are not just the backdrop to this infrastructure; Blood banks serve as the backbone for cancer treatment in all of its modes. They help patients tolerate chemotherapy and make the difference between an unsafe versus safe surgery. They are an unquestionable part of the treatment plan. Each and every blood bank facility is an inclusive bridge for patients. At Sugam Hospital, all of our treatment options are powered by strong blood supply networks, and we are proud of this support, in addition to creating and aiding awareness.

If you want to support cancer patients, donate blood, share an awareness campaign, etc.  Every drop counts.