Perioperative immunomodulation with Flt3 kinase ligand or a whole tumor cell vaccine is associated with a reduction in lung metastasis formation after laparotomy in mice.

Introduction: Laparotomy has been associated with temporary postoperative immunosuppression and accelerated tumor growth in experimental models. In a previous murine study, a whole cell vaccine plus the adjuvant monophosphoryl-lipid A was shown to be effective in decreasing the number of lung metastases that develop after laparotomy. This study was conducted to assess the impact of the adjuvant fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) ligand on perioperative tumor growth when used alone or with a tumor cell vaccine.

Significant reduction of laparotomy-associated lung metastases and subcutaneous tumors after perioperative immunomodulation with flt3 ligand in mice.

Laparotomy has been associated with increased rates of tumor establishment and metastasis formation postoperatively in animal models. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact on postoperative tumor growth of perioperative upregulation of immune function via fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3 ligand). Two murine studies were carried out: the first utilized a lung metastases model, and the second involved a subcutaneous tumor model.

Laparoscopic-assisted cecectomy is associated with decreased formation of postoperative pulmonary metastases compared with open cecectomy in a murine model.

Background: It was shown in a murine model that sham laparotomy is associated with a higher incidence of postoperative lung metastases when compared with results seen after carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum. Using the same tumor model, the present study was undertaken to determine if the addition of bowel resection to the operative procedure would impact the results.

Methods: Sixty mice underwent anesthesia alone (anesthesia control [AC]), laparoscopic-assisted cecectomy (LC), or open cecectomy (OC).

The percentage of CD31+ T cells decreases after open but not laparoscopic surgery.

Background: Efficient killing of tumor cells depends on T cells that migrate from the circulation to the peripheral tissues; these cells express CD31. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of open (OS) and laparoscopic (LS) colorectal surgery on the percentage of circulating CD3+CD31+ cells.

Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from 27 OS and 24 LS colon cancer patients preoperatively (preOP) and on postoperative days 1 (POD1) and 3 (POD3).

Effect of surgical trauma on epithelial cell adhesion molecule (GA-733) vaccine-induced tumor resistance.

Background: Surgical trauma inhibits immune function. Our goal was to study the effect of surgical intervention on the development of the immune response to epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM [GA-733]), a tumor-associated protein used for vaccination in colon cancer.

Methods: Recombinant GA-733 and monophosphoryl-lipid A (MPLA) were incorporated into biodegradable beads and implanted in the following groups of mice: control, insufflation, and laparotomy.