Comparison of the postoperative changes in the humoral and cellular immune activity in septic and non-septic colorectal cancer patients.

The effect of sepsis on the host resistance of 34 colorectal cancer patients with normal preoperative immune reactivity was studied. A significant change (p less than 0.01) was found in the IgG level of the septic patients (n = 13) when comparing their values with those of the non-septic patients (n = 21), on the third and 7th days postoperatively.

[Relationship of immunological status to infections complicating surgery of the large intestine].

The patients immuno-activity has a well-known importance for the outcome of postoperative complications. The authors evaluated the immuno-activity of 95 patients before selective, radical colorectal surgery: 1) 40% of the patients were anergic compared to healthy controls. 2) The incidence of wound infections was significantly higher in the anergic groups than in normal or hyperergic ones.