Cited by 487Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune ResponseEnhanced Recovery After SurgeryCancer Cells and Metastasis

Exploiting the critical perioperative period to improve long-term cancer outcomes

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Horowitz, Maya, Neeman, Elad, Sharon, Eran, Ben-Eliyahu, Shamgar·2015·Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology

Abstract

Evidence suggests that the perioperative period and the excision of the primary tumour can promote the development of metastases—the main cause of cancer-related mortality. This Review first presents the assertion that the perioperative timeframe is pivotal in determining long-term cancer outcomes, disproportionally to its short duration (days to weeks). We then analyse the various aspects of surgery, and their consequent paracrine and neuroendocrine responses, which could facilitate the metastatic process by directly affecting malignant tissues, and/or through indirect pathways, such as immunological perturbations. We address the influences of surgery-related anxiety and stress, nutritional status, anaesthetics and analgesics, hypothermia, blood transfusion, tissue damage, and levels of sex hormones, and point at some as probable deleterious factors. Through understanding these processes and reviewing empirical evidence, we provide suggestions for potential new perioperative approaches and interventions aimed at attenuating deleterious processes and ultimately improving treatment outcomes. Specifically, we highlight excess perioperative release of catecholamines and prostaglandins as key deleterious mediators of surgery, and we recommend blockade of these responses during the perioperative period, as well as other low-risk, low-cost interventions. The measures described in this Review could transform the perioperative timeframe from a prominent facilitator of metastatic progression, to a window of opportunity for arresting and/or eliminating residual disease, potentially improving long-term survival rates in patients with cancer.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nrclinonc.2014.224

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  1. [82]Page GG Ben-Eliyahu S Yirmiya R Liebeskind JC Morphine attenuates surgery-induced enhancement of metastatic colonization in rats Pain 54 21 28 1993 8378099
  2. [106]Kurz A Sessler DI Lenhardt R Perioperative normothermia to reduce the incidence of surgical-wound infection and shorten hospitalization. Study of Wound Infection and Temperature Group N Engl J Med 334 1209 1215 1996 8606715
  3. [169]Rader DJ Hobbs HH Harrisons Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Ch 335 Kasper DL 2286 2319 McGraw-Hill 2005

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Authors
Horowitz, M., Neeman, E., Sharon, E., & Ben-Eliyahu, S.
Affiliations
  • Tel Aviv University (IL)
  • Rabin Medical Center (IL)
Venue
Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology
Published
2015-01-20
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
213-226
ISSN
  • 1759-4774 (ISSN-L)
  • 1759-4782
OpenAlex
W2078505577
Cited by
487
References
228
Citations by year
2026: 36 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 60 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 55 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 14
FWCI
5.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Cancer Institute (R01CA172138)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
Keywords
perioperative period, metastasis, surgical stress response, catecholamines, prostaglandins, anesthesia, analgesia, hypothermia, blood transfusion, tissue damage, sex hormones, nutritional status, paracrine signaling, neuroendocrine response, residual disease, cancer survival
MeSH terms
Humans, Immune Tolerance, Neoplasm Metastasis, Neoplasms, Nutritional Status, Prognosis, Recurrence, Stress, Physiological, Stress, Psychological, Treatment Outcome, Perioperative Care, Perioperative Period

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