Massive gastric cancer in a patient with a negative Gregory antigen (Gy (a-)), a rare blood group

A case of a massive advanced gastric cancer of the Borrmann type III in a patient with the rare blood group of negative Gregory antigen (Gregory (a-)) is reported. On admission, he was found to have a severe anemia (Hb 6.1 g/dl) requiring a direct blood infusion. He had never received a blood infusion, previously. In blood crossmatching tests, his blood was agglutinated by all the antisera for the common antigens, and he was discovered to have a rare blood type of Gregory (a-). There was no appropriate blood donor in his family. Before the operation, only 600 ml (6 i.u.) of frozen red blood cells could be found in storage from only 2 people with Gregory (a-), O blood type and Rh (+) in Japan. To increase the RBC, erythropoietin (3000 i.u.) was administered 6 times; and the Hb increased to 7.4 g/dl. However, the anemia remained and 200 ml (2 i.u.) Gregory (a-) blood was infused, preoperatively. The final preoperative Hb was 7.8 g/dl and the RBC was 283 x 10(4)/mm3. A massive gastric cancer directly infiltrated the pancreas, the transverse colon and the mesocolon. A palliative subtotal gastrectomy with combined resection of the transverse colon was performed. The intraoperative blood loss was 460 ml and the volume of blood infused was 400 ml (4 i.u.). The postoperative Hb was 7.9 g/dl, and more blood was needed. However, there was no more Gregory (a-) donor blood in storage in Japan.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)