The Role of Regional Anesthesia in the Propagation of Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Publication date: Available online 31 July 2019Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical AnaesthesiologyAuthor(s): Sudipta Sen, Veerandra Koyyalamudi, Darwin D. Smith, Ricardo A. Weis, Michael Molloy, Allyson L. Spence, Aaron J. Kaye, Carmen C. Labrie-Brown, O. Morgan Hall, Elyse M. Cornett, Alan David KayeAbstractCancer incidence worldwide will eclipse 18 million in 2019 with nearly 10 million cancer related deaths. It is estimated that in the United States, almost 40% of all individuals alive today will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. Surgical resection of primary tumors remains a cornerstone of cancer treatment, yet the surgical process can trigger an immune suppressing sympathetic response which promotes tumor growth of any residual cancerous cells post-surgery. Regional and local anesthesia have become staples of anesthesia and analgesia during and after surgery. Recently, more and more evidence in the form of retrospective and prospective studies has come to light regarding the protective, anti-tumor properties of anesthetic and analgesic agents across a wide variety of cancers and patient demographics. It is thought that by blocking afferent pain signals, the body does not mount the sympathetic response that contributes to the perpetuation of disease after surgical treatment. This review, therefore, investigates these studies as they pertain to the treatment and outcomes of cancers treated surgically to elucidate the role of regional anesthesia in the prop...
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research