Immune impairment and metastatic tumor growth: the need for an immunorestorative drug as an adjunct to surgery.

A spontaneous murine metastatic tumor system was used as a model to assess the effects of a major surgical procedure on tumor-specific immune reactivity and the growth of micrometastases. Any major surgical procedure resulted in impaired cell-mediated cytotoxicity postoperatively and an increase in the number of gross pulmonary metastases. The use of an immunorestorative drug, Thiabendazole, in the perioperative period resulted in an improved cytotoxic response and a significant decrease in pulmonary metastases. Perioperative immunotherapy can be an effective adjunct to surgery in preventing the growth of micrometastatic foci.