title: Impaired Immune Function in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Bone Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural killer (NK) cells undergo quantitative and functional changes after oncological surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  After Institutional Review Board approval, the count and function of NK cells from patients with malignant bone tumors were assessed only days 1, 3, 5 and during first postoperative visit, and compared with preoperative values. The serum concentrations of interleukins (IL)-2, -4 and -6 were also measured before and after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete clinical and laboratory data were analyzed from 17 patients with different bone malignancies. The number of NK cells significantly decreased postoperatively as well as their function. The maximum deterioration in their function occurred 5 days postoperatively. The serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-4 did not change perioperatively. In contrast, a significant increase in the concentrations of IL-6 was observed on day 1, 3 and 5 postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant inflammatory response and innate immune suppression occurred after surgery for malignant bone tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Cancer, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
authors.forename: José F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Velásquez
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Texas A&M Cancer Center, Baylor Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple, TX, U.S.A.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Oncology The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Cancer, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Valerae
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Cancer, Houston, TX, U.S.A. Anesthesia and Surgical Oncology Research Group, Houston, TX, U.S.A. jcata@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cata
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C508594:IL2 protein, human; C508598:IL4 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015847:Interleukin-4
keywords: Bone cancer; immune function; inflammatory response; surgery