AIM:To study the effects of carbon dioxide on the metastaticcapability of cancer cells,and to compare them with that ofnitrogen.METHODS:The colon cancer cell CCL-228 was treated with100% carbon dioxide or nitrogen at different time pointsand then cultured under normal condition.Twelve hoursafter the treatment,the survival rates of suspension cellsand the expressions of e-cadherin and VEGF were examined.RESULTS:After 60 min of carbon dioxide and longer timeof nitrogen treatment,the suspended cells increased andthe expression of e-cadherin decreased while theexpression of VEGF was enhanced significantly.And theeffects of nitrogen were similar to,but weaker than,thoseof carbon dioxide.CONCLUSION:Carbon dioxide may improve the metastaticcapability of cancer cells and its effects are significantlystronger than that of nitrogen.A sequential use of carbondioxide and nitrogen in pneumoperitoneum may take theadvantaqe of both qases. AIM: To study the effects of carbon dioxide on the metastatic ability of cancer cells, and to compare them with that of nitrogen. METHODS: The colon cancer cell CCL-228 was treated with 100% carbon dioxide or nitrogen at different time points and then cultured under normal condition Twelve hours after the treatment, the survival rates of suspension cells and the expressions of e-cadherin and VEGF were measured .RESULTS: After 60 min of carbon dioxide and longer time of nitrogen treatment, the suspended cells increased and the expression of e-cadherin decreased while theexpression of VEGF was significantly increased. And the effects of nitrogen were similar to, but weaker than, those of carbon dioxide. CONCLUSION: Carbon dioxide may improve the metastatic ability of cancer cells and its effects are significantly more than that of nitrogen. A sequential use of carbondioxide and nitrogen in pneumoperitoneum may take theadvantaqe of both qases.