The Effect of Perioperative Thermoregulation on Cancer Surgeries: A Narrative Review

Owing to the vulnerability of adverse effects of hypothermia, particularly among immunocompromised cancer patients, perioperative thermoregulation is critical. This review presents a comprehensive examination of current thermoregulation practices, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases. We conducted literature search for relevant articles using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science, published till June 2024 using the keywords, "Perioperative thermoregulation," "cancer surgery," "hypothermia," "normothermia," "surgical site infections," "intraoperative warming techniques," "preoperative warming," "postoperative care," and "patient outcomes". Our review highlights the adverse impact of hypothermia among cancer patients, such as increased surgical complications, impaired immune response, and prolonged recovery times. This review also shines light on the efficacy of various perioperative warming techniques, such as forced-air warming systems and fluid warming methods. Additionally, this review article addresses the challenges associated with perioperative thermoregulation in cancer surgeries and explores potential innovations and future directions in this field.