Why is blood transfusion necessary for a cancer patient?
Patient: Hi. My Mom is a cancer patient and Dr advised her chemotherapy where they are going to give her Gemcite/Carboplatin combination. One of the Dr said that she may need blood transfusion. I need to know why. I am a postdoc fellow in Immunology and can understand medical terminology. Please help me and guide. Doctor: Hi,Gemcite/ Carboplatin combination, commonly used for lung and ovarian cancer, causes myelosupression i.e., a decrease in WBC, RBC and platelet levels. If the symptoms become severe, the patient might need a blood transfusion or decrease in dose of the drugs being given/ both.