title: Perioperative hypothermia does not enhance the risk of cancer dissemination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Resistance to cancer metastasis is mediated by host immunity, and mild perioperative hypothermia impairs immune function. We tested the hypothesis that mild perioperative hypothermia increases the risk of cancer recurrence and subsequent mortality
  
  
  METHODS
  In a 5- to 9-year follow-up of 140 cancer patients enrolled in a study demonstrating that 2 degrees C mild perioperative hypothermia triples wound infection risk, tumor characteristics likely to influence recurrence, patient outcome, and current health status were determined. Primary outcomes were tumor recurrence and all-cause mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumor status in the groups was similar and included Duke's and TNM classifications, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen concentration, histologic differentiation, numbers of nodes biopsied and positive nodes, blood vessel invasion, and adhesion of tumor to adjacent organs. Cancer-free and overall survival rates were similar in normothermic and hypothermic patients. These data provide 80% power for detecting a 25% difference between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mild perioperative hypothermia did not increase recurrent tumors, cancer death, or all-cause mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Gynaecology (Senology), Women's Clinic, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Yüksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yücel
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barlan
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lenhardt
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Sessler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*