Donating blood when you have cancer

Blood donation and cancer

The UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation services guidelines say that you can’t donate blood if you have had cancer. This is because there is a theoretical risk that a cancer cell could be passed on in the blood. There is no evidence to prove that this is possible. It is very much a safety measure.

There are exceptions. You may be able to donate blood if you:

• have had basal cell skin cancer which has been completely removed and your wound has healed

• have a pre cancerous condition that is not a blood (haematological) condition and you have regular appointments to monitor you. An example is a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus

• have had successful treatment for a pre cancerous condition, and you are no longer having follow up

• have a high risk of cancer due to a strong family history or following genetic testing

Speak to your healthcare team if you would like to donate blood and you’re not sure if you can. There is also more information about who can donate blood on the NHS website.

Visit the NHS Blood and Transplant website