Colorectal Cancer News

Preliminary Study Suggests Open Surgery May Promote Colon Cancer Tumor Burden

New research presented at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 12th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery suggests there is a difference in the increase and movement of colon cancer cells based on the use of open or laparoscopic surgery.

This had previously been a concern for surgeons intent on decreasing the burden of colon cancer tumors through appropriate surgical intervention. It is known that patients receiving open surgery have higher levels of migrating cytokines than patients receiving laparoscopic surgery. The increase in cytokines creates an abundance of inflammatory mediators that can affect tumor growth.

The research was intended to see if laparoscopic procedures would decrease cytokine levels and create an environment where cancer cells would be unable to survive and replicate. It showed that cancer cells were able to grow more effectively in animals that received open surgery than those that received laparoscopic surgery. 

"These data suggest that surgery-induced levels of cytokines may play a crucial role in the in vivo growth of colon cancer," Dr. Bahna noted. "The different effects of open vs. laparoscopic surgery on the growth of colon cancer may be important in prognosis for colon cancer patients."

References
Monti, Jennifer. Preliminary Study Suggests Open Surgery May Promote Colon Cancer Tumor Burden. Medscape News, 2010 April 15.

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