Surgical stress induces immunosuppression and this condition contributes to tumor growth

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Recently, there has been increasing evidence that postoperative infectious complications after digestive surgery were significantly associated with negative long-term outcome. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear. We studied to determine whether the infection induces enhanced cancer metastases and to investigate the role of natural killer (NK) cells. Mice were treated with colon cancer cells, which have high potential liver metastases. Thereafter, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham treatment (sham) were done. As a result, the volume of liver metastases and serum cytokine levels were significantly higher in CLP mice than in sham mice. In contrast, hepatic IL-12 levels were significantly decreased in CLP mice. Furthermore, a total number of the liver MNCs and the percentage of NK cells in the liver MNCs were significantly decreased in CLP mice. In conclusion, infectious conditions induced the suppression of cellular immunity, and promoted cancer metastases.