Preoperative lymphocyte subsets and infectious complications after colorectal cancer surgery.

Peripheral lymphocytes, T cells, and T cell subsets of 141 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer were measured preoperatively to determine whether infectious complications could be predicted from derangements of T cell subsets. T cell subset abnormalities reportedly precede sepsis in patients with burn injuries. All patients received preoperative bowel preparation with laxatives, enemas, oral neomycin and erythromycin base, and intravenous cefazolin. Eighteen (13%) of the 141 patients had infectious complications and these complications accounted for two deaths. The variables of age, sex, tumor location, admission hematocrit, white blood count, lymphocytes, T cells (Leu-1), helper cells (Leu-3), suppressor cells (Leu-2), natural killer cells (Leu-7), operative blood loss, procedure, specimen length, duration of surgery, tumor size, tumor differentiation, nodal status, and Dukes' staging were not significantly (p greater than 0.05) related to the development of infectious complications. These results indicate that preoperative evaluation of T cell subsets in patients with colorectal cancer is not useful for predicting postoperative septic complications.