[Effects of perioperative parenteral nutrition on immunocompetence in patients with gastric cancer].

To elucidate the effects of parenteral nutrition on the immunocompetence, we administrated parenteral nutritional support to the malnourished gastric cancer patients during perioperative periods. Changes of peripheral blood natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) activity (LDH enzyme-release assay) and T lymphocyte subsets (OKT series monoclone antibody indirect fluorescent assay) were monitored before and after nutritional support. The results showed that one week of pre or postoperative parenteral nutrition significantly increased the NKC activity, T-helper, and T-helper/T-suppressor ratio. The total T lymphocytes count may also increase. T-suppressors remained unchanged no matter whether nutritional support was given or not. The authors believe that perioperative nutritional support could improve the immunocompetence of gastric cancer patients to some extent, and promote the restoration of immune depression caused by operation, but it could not eliminate the effects of immune depressing factor produced by the tumor. Intralipid can be used properly as non protein energy source without immunodepressing effects.