title: Comparison of postoperative immune function in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or conventional open esophagectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare postoperative immune function in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer (EC) after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or conventional open esophagectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 228 patients with thoracic EC treated at a single hospital using VATS (n = 52) or conventional open esophagectomy (n = 176). Proportions of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), and natural kill (NK) cells, as well as the ratio of CD4(+) to CD8(+) cells, were measured in the two groups using flow cytometry on preoperative day (PrD) 1 and postoperative days (PoD) 1 and 7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proportions of CD3(+), CD4(+), and NK cells as well as the CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased significantly from PrD1 to PoD1 in both the VATS and open esophagectomy groups. In the VATS group, these parameters had returned to preoperative levels (PrD1) by PoD7. These parameters in open esophagectomy group increased from PoD1 to PoD7 but also lowered significantly to PrD1 by PoD7. The proportion of CD8(+) cells was similar between the two groups at all time points tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients may experience less postoperative immune suppression after VATS than after conventional open esophagectomy, and they may recover preoperative immune function more quickly.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Surgery Oncology Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Hematology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: Nai-Qun
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: De-Seng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
authors.forename: Ding-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China; Immunology Department, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China. Electronic address: zhaoyongxiang1965@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China. Electronic address: zuochuantian@163.com.
authors.forename: Chuan-Tian
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
keywords: Esophageal cancer; Postoperative immune function; Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery