The influence of surgical operations on components of the human immune system

Surgical operations have been shown to cause a variety of immunological disturbances in man both in vivo and in vitro. With few exceptions the overall picture is one of a generalized state of immunodepression in the postoperative period. The implications of these observations are that host defences may be compromised by surgical procedures, thus providing a 'fertile soil' for bacterial invasion and tumour cell metastasis at the very time when risks from invading pathogens and viable tumour cells are maximal. We have studied the effects of surgical operations on the immune system in 35 patients with benign disease. Surgical procedures were classified as either minor (n = 15) or major (n = 20). A panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to identify peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and analysis was performed using flow cytometry. Simultaneous estimations of plasma alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (alpha-1-PI), alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha-2-M), alpha-2-pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (alpha-2-PAG) and plasma suppressive activity (PSA) on stimulated allogeneic lymphocytes were performed before operation and on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, 17 and 21. Circulating numbers of all lymphocyte subpopulations fell significantly following surgery, except for B lymphocytes which did not change. The magnitude, and duration of the reduction in cell numbers and the subpopulation affected was significantly related to the degree of surgical trauma, and returned to pre-operative values by postoperative day 7. Changes in alpha-1-PI, alpha-2-M, alpha-2-PAG and PSA were also significantly related to the degree of surgical trauma, and these plasma changes persisted longer than the cellular disturbances. Surgical operations induce a reversible depression of cellular immunity which precedes plasma suppressive activity in its return to pre-operative levels. Immunostimulating agents such as interferon and the interleukins deserve evaluation as prophylactic agents pre-operatively.     

Chest-wall desmoid tumors: results of surgical intervention

Background

We are analyzing our experience with treatment of desmoid tumors of the chest wall and adjacent structures.

Methods

A retrospective review was undertaken of the records of all patients who underwent surgical management for a desmoid tumor of the chest between January 1980 and December 2001 at one institution. Fifty-three patients (24 men and 29 women) were identified, whose median age was 39 years (range 10 to 78 years).

Results

The desmoid tumor involved the chest wall exclusively in 25 patients (47%) and both the chest wall and adjacent structures in 28 (53%). Twenty-eight patients (53%) had previous resections for a desmoid tumor. Three patients also had previous radiation therapy. A wide radical resection was attempted in all 53 patients; resection was complete in 44. Seven patients had positive microscopic margins and 2 had gross residual disease. Complications were noted in 6 patients (11%); no operative deaths occurred. Median hospitalization was 6 days (range 1 to 124 days). Nineteen patients (36%) had postoperative radiation therapy (12 had complete resection and 7 had positive margins). Follow-up was complete in 51 patients (96%) and ranged from 2 weeks to 21 years (median 53 months). At the end of the review 46 patients were alive with no recurrence; 3 were alive with local recurrence and 2 died (1 from metastatic breast cancer and 1 from unknown cause). Five-year overall probability of developing a local recurrence was 37.5% (95% confidence interval, 20.2% to 53.3%). Recurrence occurred in 8 of 9 patients with positive margins (89%) and 8 of 44 with negative margins (18%). Factors adversely affecting the rate of postoperative recurrence were reoperation (p = 0.0199), positive margins (p < 0.0001), and postoperative radiation therapy (p = 0.0027). Eleven patients (22%) required reoperation at a median of 24.6 months postoperatively (range 11 to 78 months).

Conclusions

Desmoid tumors involving the chest and adjacent structures are locally aggressive tumors with a high recurrence rate. Wide radical resection should be attempted whenever possible. Positive margins at resection, reoperation and postoperative radiation are associated with a high risk of local recurrence.     

Results of the surgical treatment of metastatic brain tumors

Results of surgical treatment in 85 cases with metastatic brain tumors are reviewed. The lung was the most frequent site of primary lesion and the following sites were GI tract and the breast. Adequate treatment consisted of total removal of tumor, irradiation and/or chemotherapy were carried out in 51 cases. The remaining 34 cases had an unsuccessful treatment because of their poor physical condition. Mean survival time after adequate treatment was 8.75 months in the former group and 3.06 months in the latter group. Of 51 patients (86.3%) in the former group, 44 showed improvement of the neurological signs after treatment. In the latter group, only 14 patients (41.2%) revealed neurological improvement. Total removal of tumor was carried out in 55 of 85 cases. The one-month operative mortality for all patients was 19.2%. Postoperative one-year survival rate was 12.5% in 16 cases with multiple metastases and in 36 cases with single metastasis was 25.6%. Follow-up study of 77 cases showed 31.2% of survival rate in 6 months, 18.2% in one-year and 5.2% in two-years. Only four patients survived more than 3 years after treatment. The direct causes of death in cases of total removal were attributed in recurrence of primary lesion or remote metastases to other organs. This study revealed that the prognosis of the patient with metastatic brain tumor was influenced by existence of intracranial hypertension due to brain edema or metastatic tumor itself and metastases to other organs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Transparent microballoon dissection in the surgical treatment of brain tumors.

In spite of maximal microsurgical efforts, perilesional neural tissue can be injured by surgical instruments in the process of the separation and dissection of tumors. We hypothesized that transparent microballoon dissection could be helpful in the gentle separation of brain tissue from tumor by minimizing cerebral damage, and in separating sulcal and cisternal walls during surgical interventions on brain masses. We used the transparent microballoon dissection technique in 3 primary cases and 4 metastatic brain tumors that were verified with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Gentle separation of tumor from surrounding brain, reduction of cerebral damage, and separation of sulcal and cisternal walls were feasible in all patients. Postoperative CT and MRI showed satisfactory results in reducing perilesional cerebral damage. The transparent microballoon inflation technique is a useful microsurgical method for the gentle separation of tumors from surrounding brain tissue, minimizing cerebral damage, and separating sulcal and cisternal walls during surgical interventions for brain masses. Our conclusion is that using the microballoon dissection method may be suitable in microneurosurgical practice.     

Evidence of a local immune activation in cystic brain tumors

The fluid of cystic brain tumors was characterized with regard to the protein content. In most malignant tumors, the concentrations of immunoglobulins G and M (IgG and IgM) were higher relative to other proteins in the cyst fluid than in the serum of the same patient. A markedly elevated ratio of monomeric to pentameric IgM was detected in the cyst fluid of two patients with glioblastomas. The results indicate a local immunoglobulin synthesis in malignant cystic brain tumors. It is hypothesized that higher-than-expected concentrations of IgG and IgM in cyst fluid as compared to plasma are a sign of an ongoing immune response triggered by the tumor.     

Functional analysis of interleukin-2 in immune surveillance against brain tumors

We studied the capacity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from patients with malignant brain tumors to produce interleukin-2 (IL-2) and to respond to IL-2. The role of IL-2 in the generation of T cells cytotoxic against tumor cells was also studied. PBLs from the patients with malignant brain tumors tended to produce a level of IL-2 lower than that in normal controls because of the decreased number of IL-2-producing T cells. Phytohemagglutinin activated PBLs from normal controls and the patients, however, responded equally well to IL-2. This indicates that the expression of IL-2 receptors is abundant in PBLs of these patients, although IL-2 production may be depressed. Furthermore, after incubation with IL-2, PBLs from the patients with malignant glioma exhibited higher natural killer activity and strong cytotoxicity against glioma cells. This increased cytotoxicity was evident by Day 3 of culture in IL-2 and remained effective for at least 2 days. These observations of antitumor cytotoxicity make IL-2 a likely candidate for use in adoptive immunotherapy.     

上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤的临床特点及外科治疗

目的 探讨上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤的临床特点及外科治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析本院1999年1月~2007年5月收治的33例上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤患者，经颈后外侧入路行肿瘤切除26例，前后联合入路行肿瘤切除7例；20例采用后路钉棒/钉板内固定系统重建，13例未行内固定。结果 术后随访6个月~8年，平均18.3个月。多数患者症状改善明显，4例复发，其中2例再次手术。结论 上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤临床相对少见，手术风险较大。根据肿瘤部位、性质和分期制定合理的手术方案能提高肿瘤切除率，降低术后局部复发率和并发症的发生率。     

上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤的临床特点及外科治疗

目的探讨上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤的临床特点及外科治疗方法。方法回顾性分析本院1999年1月。2007年5月收治的33例上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤患者，经颈后外侧入路行肿瘤切除26例，前后联合入路行肿瘤切除7例；20例采用后路钉棒／钉板内固定系统重建，13例未行内固定。结果术后随访6个月～8年，平均18．3个月。多数患者症状改善明显，4例复发，其中2例再次手术。结论上颈椎椎管内外哑铃形肿瘤临床相对少见，手术风险较大。根据肿瘤部位、性质和分期制定合理的手术方案能提高肿瘤切除率，降低术后局部复发率和并发症的发生率。     

The influence of surgical intervention on the functional status of hypophyseal-thyroid system in patients with acute destructive appendicitis

The changes of thyrotropin (TSG), thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) blood levels in patients with acute destructive appendicitis and initial decrease of T3, as well as its absorption of T4 by lymphocytes after operation were studied. It is established that "low T3 level syndrome" in surgical patients exceeds the limit of quantitative assessment of the level of thyroid hormones' concentration in peripheral blood. It includes also damage of functional intersystem (endocrine-immune) links. Hormone replacement therapy using thyroid hormones in order to activate immunocytes indirectly (through thymic factors) in patients with acute destructive appendicitis and initial decrease of T3 level and decreased activity of T-part of immunity is pathophysiologically justified.