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).

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).