Perioperative hypothermia does not enhance the risk of cancer dissemination.

BACKGROUND Resistance to cancer metastasis is mediated by host immunity, and mild perioperative hypothermia impairs immune function. We tested the hypothesis that mild perioperative hypothermia increases the risk of cancer recurrence and subsequent mortality METHODS In a 5- to 9-year follow-up of 140 cancer patients enrolled in a study demonstrating that 2 degrees C mild perioperative hypothermia triples wound infection risk, tumor characteristics likely to influence recurrence, patient outcome, and current health status were determined. Primary outcomes were tumor recurrence and all-cause mortality. RESULTS Tumor status in the groups was similar and included Duke's and TNM classifications, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen concentration, histologic differentiation, numbers of nodes biopsied and positive nodes, blood vessel invasion, and adhesion of tumor to adjacent organs. Cancer-free and overall survival rates were similar in normothermic and hypothermic patients. These data provide 80% power for detecting a 25% difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Mild perioperative hypothermia did not increase recurrent tumors, cancer death, or all-cause mortality.