Donating blood while on AI ???

if you had invasive bc you will probably not be allowed to donate blood.  I had to remove myself from the bone marrow registry, which bummed me out.

I also do not know the ansewr to this, but thought I would pass on the information I was given by the local blood center.  With my diagnosis (IDC) and after doing chemo (T/C), I was told that I could give blood again after a year from my last chemo.  Might be worth checking with your local blood center.

"I had to remove myself from the bone marrow registry, which bummed me out."

MOTC - me too!!!

I was told once I was DX'd with an invasive cancer I could never give blood again. I feel like hell, I have given blood every 3 months for years because I have some rare neg. thing that people who are very sick need.

Did I make them sick with my cancer? Anyone who got my blood? My surgeon said the lump had been growing for years. I realize you can't "catch" cancer. BUT, if a body would accept your blood, would it not accept anything in it? And how would they know there was not one cancer cell floating around in my blood?

This is interesting.  I was informed by the bone marrow registry that I needed to remove myself (for life.)    They said anything greater than stage 0 was not allowed to be a donor.  Ageed, bummer.

I checked with the local American Red Cross office as I had also heard different time periods so wanted the official answer. I was told that I couldn't donate. BUT... I found this online  http://www.newenglandblood.org/giving/cancer.htm and this also

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=e081912c9973b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD#can

I also had to remove myself from the bone marrow registry and my understanding is that I can never give blood.  I respect this.  If there is any chance that stray cancer cells could be conveyed in a blood transfusion, I would hate for that to happen.

It's the same here...after diagnosis, no blood donation or organ donation.  It was one of those 'ah ha' moments in the cycle of this disease.  I didn't like it one bit.

Marilyn 

Here's information from the American Cancer Society about donating blood after a cancer diagnosis - they say there is little chance of passing cancer through the blood - but still I have doubts!

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4x_Donation_by_Cancer_Survivors.asp

What about all the people donating blood and don't even know they have cancer (haven't been diagnosed)???  Scary stuff. 

My dd had a hip replacement and had donated her own blood for her surgery.  But she needed more than she had donated.  So when you know you are going to have surgery that makes you lose a lot of blood, try to bank as much blood as possible. 

Dawnbelle, I think its an interesting question too.  Especially with people doing breast cancer research for circulating tumor cells.  People have received organs from donors no one knew had cancer and ended up with cancer from the donor organs.  So, I see why you question the blood issue.  I would assume the difference between circulating cells and solid organ or bone marrow transplants and especially the immunosuppression the recipients of solid organs or bone marrow are on make a difference.  That said, guess you can't assume anyone getting your blood isn't immunosuppressed.  Makes you wonder why they ask all the questions trying to figure out if you are at risk for unknowingly being HIV infected they don't ask if you've had a mammogram within the last year

The question is - why can our bodies accept blood from donors but not organs without immunosuppresant drugs? Why do our bodies not REJECT blood (even if its the same type) - isn't there DNA in our blood cells showing that it's "alien"? Also wouldn't breast cancer cells have DNA that would mark it as "alien"? And if a person's immune system can kill of alien breast cancer cells in a blood donation - why can't the scientists come up with a way to MARK breast cancer cells as "alien" for all breast cancer patients so our immune systems will just kill them off the same way? Gosh these thoughts make me feel like I'm falling down the Rabbit hole in Alice-in-Breastcancerland!

I think you are correct Dawn..........so let's share our blood with each other and see what happens! My blood type is A+ what's yours? Lol!

Edited to add:  Maybe we're onto something here ladies? I wonder if something like exchanging blood WOULD work to fight BC? Wow - wouldn't that be a simple enough of a cure....too simple to work probably......just my science-fiction imagination going into overdrive.....still, maybe I should suggest it to my nephew (the PhD working on some other cancer studies). No doubt he'll set me straight - in complicated language I won't understand!

Me too - just a mom - we need to UNITE and join our brains together in a Vulcan Mind Meld to FIND A CURE! Sigh........ 

How appropriate is that for this board.  Live long and prosper.  Wow, hadn't thought of it before although of course we all know star trek.  That will now go around and around in my mind and I like it

I so agree with you both Dawnbelle and Swimangel.  Brenda-R I did assume the same thing.   I would rather be safe and not donate.  We don't really understand all the many ways that the many forms of cancer are spread.....if we did there would not be nearly as many surprise recurrances.