Blood Transfusions & Cancer Treatment

Herbert A. Perkins, MD 
Adapted for the Canadian edition by Jacinta Meharchand, MD 

Blood is a complex living tissue . It is made up of
three kinds of cells that are manufactured in the
blood cell "factory"—the marrow cavity of
our bones. All these cells are suspended in a
liquid called plasma, and each cell plays a
critical role in keeping us alive.
• Red blood cells carry oxygen to our
  tissues.
• White blood cells—leukocytes—help us
  fight off infections.
• Platelets are necessary to form the blood
  clots that stop bleeding.