A new study found no link between the duration and depth of anesthesia and the subsequent risk of developing cancer, according to a study published in the Oct. 2011 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
According to a Newswise report, neither duration of anesthesia nor increased cumulative time with profound sevoflurane anesthesia was associated with increased risk for new malignant disease within five years after surgery in previously cancer-free patients.
The researchers analyzed data on nearly 3,000 patients undergoing surgery with the general anesthetic sevoflurane. The duration and depth of anesthesia were analyzed as predictors of the later risk of cancer. Five years after surgery, 4.3 percent of the patients had developed cancer, but there was no association between duration of anesthesia and risk of developing cancer during follow-up.
Despite the lack of association with anesthesia, the rate of cancer in the group of patients was higher than expected — about 37 percent higher than in the general population. The researchers could not determine the reason for the increase but saw no evidence that it reflected factors related to patient selection bias or other medically significant reasons.
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According to a Newswise report, neither duration of anesthesia nor increased cumulative time with profound sevoflurane anesthesia was associated with increased risk for new malignant disease within five years after surgery in previously cancer-free patients.
The researchers analyzed data on nearly 3,000 patients undergoing surgery with the general anesthetic sevoflurane. The duration and depth of anesthesia were analyzed as predictors of the later risk of cancer. Five years after surgery, 4.3 percent of the patients had developed cancer, but there was no association between duration of anesthesia and risk of developing cancer during follow-up.
Despite the lack of association with anesthesia, the rate of cancer in the group of patients was higher than expected — about 37 percent higher than in the general population. The researchers could not determine the reason for the increase but saw no evidence that it reflected factors related to patient selection bias or other medically significant reasons.
Related Articles on Anesthesia:
Do Physicians Comply With Anesthesia Monitoring Standards: 10 Stats From PPAHS
13% of Healthcare Providers Believe Practices Do Not Comply With Basic Anesthetic Monitoring Standards
Indiana University Stops Using Cats for Intubation Training