Anaesthesia in Veterinary Oncology: The Effects of Surgery, Volatile and Intravenous Anaesthetics on the Immune System and Tumour Spread

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Anaesthesia plays an important role in diagnosis procedures and the treatment and pain management of oncological patients. However, studies suggest that anaesthetic drugs may increase the risk of tumour dissemination in the perioperative period by directly and indirectly suppressing the immune system, which is primarily responsible for controlling tumour growth. Science faces the challenge of understanding their influence on the immune system to develop anaesthetic strategies that assure greater immune stability in patients with cancer or other immune-compromising diseases. ABSTRACT: Throughout the course of oncological disease, the majority of patients require surgical, anaesthetic and analgesic intervention. However, during the perioperative period, anaesthetic agents and techniques, surgical tissue trauma, adjuvant drugs for local pain and inflammation and other non-pharmacological factors, such as blood transfusions, hydration, temperature and nutrition, may influence the prognosis of the disease. These factors significantly impact the oncologic patient’s immune response, which is the primary barrier to tumour progress, promoting a window of vulnerability for its dissemination and recurrence. More research is required to ascertain which anaesthetics and techniques have immunoprotective and anti-tumour effects, which will contribute to developing novel anaesthetic strategies in veterinary medicine.