Background Surgical impact may be associated with
enhanced tumor growth and chemoresistance. This study
aimed to evaluate the effect of surgical impact on the
mRNA expression of survivin, epidermal growth factor
receptor (EGFR), and human epidermal receptor (HER2) in
tumors after pneumoperitoneum versus laparotomy.
Methods Nude mice were inoculated intraperitoneally
with human gastric cancer cells (MKN45). Then laparotomy,
carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum, and anesthesia
alone were performed randomly, after which EGFR,
HER2, and survivin mRNA expression using reverse
transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was
evaluated.
Results The expression of EGFR and HER2 mRNA
increased significantly after the experiment. However, it
was higher after laparotomy than after CO2 pneumoperitoneum
at almost all examined time points. Survivin
mRNA expression increased significantly in the first 48 h,
then returned to the control level. It was higher after laparotomythan after CO2 pneumoperitoneum 48 h after the
surgical procedures.
Conclusion The expression of EGFR, HER2, and survivin
increased after each surgical procedure. However it was
lower after CO2 pneumoperitoneum than after laparotomy.
This might be associated with changes in the chemosensitivity
of the remnant cancer cells after surgery, supporting
the use of minimally invasive surgery for cancer.