The perioperative immune/inflammatory insult in cancer surgery: Time for intervention?

Within the tumor microenvironment, non-specific innate immune responses can suppress adaptive cytotoxic immunity and hence promote tumor progression. Surgery and trauma provokes high-grade, non-specific inflammatory responses that suppress cell-mediated immunity. Here, the surgical resection of neoplastic lesions is considered in the context of antitumor immunity, providing the rationale for development of perioperative interventions to maintain the immunological competence of the host.