From OncoLog, January 2005, Vol. 50, No. 1

House Call: Blood and Platelet Donors Give Life

Like ancient Egyptians whose livelihood thrived upon the mineral-rich bounty of the Nile River, the human body depends on the blood flowing through its veins for vitality. So important is blood to human life that the slightest change in it directly affects our health and well-being.

Hospitals depend on blood donations from the community to meet patients’ blood transfusion needs. According to blood collection agencies, one unit of blood can save three lives. Accident victims who have lost a lot of blood are not the only people who need blood transfusions–others who may need them include surgical patients, premature babies, bone marrow transplant recipients, and many others. People undergoing chemotherapy for cancer often need blood and platelet transfusions, which is why cancer hospitals are always in need of donations.

What’s blood made of?

Blood is made up of four main parts: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells deliver oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and transport carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs. White blood cells fight infection. Platelets combine with other blood components to form clots to prevent bleeding. Plasma, which is 90% water, is the medium in which all the blood components and clotting factors are transported. When you donate blood, it is separated into red blood cells, platelets, and plasma and administered according to specific patient needs.

Why do patients with cancer need so much blood?

Many, if not most, people with cancer undergo chemotherapy, which can temporarily reduce the number of circulating blood cells. The fatigue most cancer patients experience is caused in part by low levels of red blood cells (anemia), which carry oxygen to muscles. This is particularly true in patients with blood-related cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, in which the disease itself can dangerously lower the body’s production of blood cells. Transfusions of red blood cells are often administered to cancer patients while they recover from the temporary toxic effects of treatment.

Some cancer treatments can also cause a loss of platelets, so platelet transfusions are sometimes given to lower the possibility of a serious bleeding episode in these patients. People undergoing bone marrow transplants, as well as those with leukemia and certain other diseases of the blood, are particularly likely to need platelet transfusions.

How do you donate blood and platelets?

Donating whole blood is a simple process that takes only 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish. Most healthy people between ages 17 and 75, weighing more than 110 pounds, can donate blood. You can donate whole blood as often as every eight weeks. Remember that blood reserves are especially low near holidays and during the summer, when people are busy with other activities, so donations are particularly needed during these times.

Donating platelets is a little more time-consuming (about two-and-a-half hours), but yields five to eight times more platelets than can be collected from a single unit of whole blood. During a platelet donation, small amounts of blood are taken from the donor’s arm and passed through a separator. The platelets are skimmed off, and the other blood components are returned to the donor’s body. Because of this, platelet donation shouldn’t affect a person’s energy level, and can be done as often as every three days, up to 24 times a year.

Is donating blood safe?

Unless the technician has a cold and sneezes on you, you can’t get any kind of disease by donating blood or platelets–the completely sterilized and disposable equipment guarantees your safety.

How do I find out more about donating blood?

For more information on this topic or for questions about M. D. Anderson’s treatments, programs, or services, call askMDAnderson at (877) MDA-6789.

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