Abstract
Modern anesthesia, based on the use of halogenated hydrocarbons, nitrogen monoxide, or xenon, cannot fully ensure the interruption of nociceptive impulses at the level of the stem and spinal and subcortical formations, which caused vegetative and metabolic signs related to pain. To prevent the negative effects of pain, additional methods are used, including intraoperative analgesia and regional blockades. This study was conducted to assess the effects of various types of anesthesia, including epidural blockade, on the parameters of the immune system in patients with cancer. A total of 438 patients with malignant neoplasms of the abdominal organs were examined. In these patients, levels of cytokines (such as tumor necrosis-alpha and interleukin-6) and T-lymphocytes of various clusters of differentiation in the blood were measured. Impaired cytokine balance in patients with oncological diseases of the abdominal cavity was accompanied by the formation of suppression of cellular immunity in the postoperative period. Measurements revealed immunosuppression that was largely dependent on the type of anesthesia used. Cellular parameters with the greatest relationship with immunity were preserved during combined anesthesia, including epidural blockade.