Depletion of circulating insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 after open surgery is associated with high interleukin-6 levels.

Purpose: We have previously shown that plasma from open, but not laparoscopic-assisted, surgery patients has increased mitogenic activity for colon cancer cells. Decreased insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels, most likely the result of an open surgery-induced proteolytic activity, may account for this finding. Plasma proteases are activated by interleukin-6.

Plasma from patients undergoing major open surgery stimulates in vitro tumor growth: Lower insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels may, in part, account for this change.

Background: Plasma from laparotomized mice has been shown to stimulate in vitro tumor growth when compared to results with preoperative plasma. This study assessed the effect of plasma from patients who underwent major open (OS) or laparoscopic surgery (LS) on in vitro tumor cell growth.

Methods: Eighty-four patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were studied (45 OS, 39 LS).