Anaesthesia as an influence in tumour progression

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Anesthesiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Tumor growth, metastasis, and recurrence are critical in cancer progression.
• Surgical resection is a primary treatment, but circulating tumor cells post-surgery can lead to new tumor sites.
• The perioperative immune status is crucial for managing cancer spread.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current literature on anesthetic decisions during and after surgery and their impact on tumor progression.
• To understand how anesthesia influences the immune system and tumor cells in the perioperative period.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of intraoperative and postoperative anesthetic management and tumor progression.

Main Results:

• Total intravenous anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and avoiding allogeneic red blood cell transfusions are linked to better patient survival.
• Irradiated intraoperative blood salvage and preoperative iron supplementation are potential alternatives to transfusions.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and postoperative nausea/vomiting prophylaxis do not harm survival and may aid tumor regression.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesia significantly influences perioperative outcomes in cancer patients.
• Further research is needed to establish definitive recommendations for anesthetic practices to improve cancer-related outcomes.