Surgical trauma leads to a shorter survival in a murine orthotopic pancreatic cancer model.
BACKGROUND
Abdominal surgery is frequently followed by immune dysfunction usually lasting for several days. This is especially important in cases with tumour diseases as an intact immune function is essential in this situation. Therefore, we analysed the outcome of tumour-bearing mice in a mouse model of surgically induced immune dysfunction (SID).


METHODS
In male C57BL/6 mice, a pancreatic tumour was implanted orthotopically. Following tumour implantation, the model of SID was applied. The control groups were either laparotomised or underwent no surgical procedure. The survival rate was determined by observation for >60 days. The tumour growth progress was imaged by a 7-tesla small animal MRI.


RESULTS
On day 60 after tumour implantation, the survival rate in SID mice was reduced to 41%. In the laparotomised group, 81% of mice survived, while the control group had a survival rate of 75%. These differences were significant (SID vs. control: p < 0.02, and SID vs. laparotomy: p < 0.002). The tumour volume was not influenced by the degree of surgical trauma.


CONCLUSIONS
In pancreatic cancer, the SID model is ideally suited to investigate the influence of SID on this tumour entity.
Division of General Surgery, Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Pia
P
Menges
Christian
C
Klöcker
Stephan
S
Diedrich
Matthias
M
Sendler
Stefan
S
Maier
Frank-Ulrich
FU
Weiss
Claus-Dieter
CD
Heidecke
Wolfram
W
von Bernstorff
Lars Ivo
LI
Partecke
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*