Characterizing postoperative T and B cell dysfunction in cancer surgery patients, using COVID-19 as a model antigen

For most cancers, surgery is an effective intervention method for cure but, despite the benefits, many patients recur with metastatic disease. Surgery has been shown to impair immune function by causing suppression of immune cells. In this study, we used a COVID-19 immunological toolkit to answer questions regarding the effects of surgery on antigen specific CD8 + T cells and B cells by exploiting the responses to the spike protein in vaccinated cancer patients. We demonstrate that surgical stress results in a reduction in the number of CD8 + T cell that produce cytokines and B cells that secrete antibodies in response to antigen. This study will improve our understanding of surgery-induced T cell and B cell dysfunction