Halothane, surgery, immunosuppression and artificial pulmonary metastases.
C57B1/6 mice were given intravenous tumor cells on day O. Mice were then given either a brief exposure to halothane anesthesia or given halothane and then underwent a hind limb amputation. Immune testing was done at varying time intervals and correlated with the development of artificial pulmonary metastases. The effects of a single 15 minute exposure to halothane on the immune system are probably short-lived and no effect on cell-mediated cytotoxicity was seen on day 7, nor was an increase in pulmonary metastases observed. However, when anesthesia was combined with surgery, cell-mediated cytotoxicity was impaired and an increase in pulmonary metastases was seen. The use of thiabendazole (TBZ), an nonspecific immunopotentiator, in the perioperative period restored the cell-mediated cytotoxic response and resulted in a significant decrease in pulmonary metastases.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000494:pharmacology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013827:Thiabendazole; D006221:Halothane