T lymphocyte subsets and Th1/Th2 balance after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy

Background: Laparoscopic surgery provides for a less invasive procedure than open surgery in patients with gastric cancer, but the immune responses after laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer remain unknown. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) or open distal gastrectomy (ODG) were obtained; the cell surface molecules and intracellular cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-4) were measured by flow cytometry. Results: The populations of T lymphocytes after LADG, including CD3-, 4-, 8-, 57-, and HLA-DR-positive lymphocytes, showed patterns similar to those after ODG. The production of IFN-gamma as Th1 cell function decreased significantly on the third postoperative day after ODG but increased after LADG. The production of IL-4, representing Th2 cell function, increased postoperatively after ODG but not after LADG. Conclusions: When compared with ODG, LADG contributes to the preservation of postsurgical Th1 cell-mediated immune function.