engleski

The impact of surgery on neutrophil activity in patients with primary colonic malignancy - pilot study

Neutrophils produce free radicals and proteases and there are evidences that they could cause tumour cytolysis, support tumour cell invasion as well as promote tumour growth and metastasis. In cancer patients, perioperative and postoperative immunosuppression could accelerate the tumour growth and metastasis of residual tumour cells, thus adversely affecting the prognosis. Aims of our research are to determine and compare neutrophil activity in patients with colon cancer and healthy volunteers, to determine an effect of surgery on neutrophil activity and to elucidate the relationship between neutrophil activity and clinicopathologic status of disease. Respiratory burst neutrophil production was determined quantitatively by flow cytometry (Bursttest) in 15 patients with histolohically proven colon cancer submitted to elective radical surgery and compared to 15 healthy volunteers. Postoperative values of mean fluorescence intensity (MFE) of neutrophils having produced reactive oxygen metabolites were higher than preoperative values. When compared to healthy controls preoperative values were higher in patients with colorectal cancer. If the number of neutrophils in peripheral blood mirrors the situation in the tumor tissue, these data could support the investigation of neutrophil-targeted therapies in anti-cancer strategy.

colorectal cancer; surgery; neutrophil activity; respiratory burst; free radicals

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