Compared to preoperative plasma levels post-operative urokinase-type plasminogen activator-1 levels are persistently elevated for 6 weeks after minimally invasive colorectal resection.

Persistently elevated plasma uPA levels at 5/6 postop time point (P<0.05), in combination with other previously demonstrated long duration proangiogenic plasma protein changes, may render the plasma proangiogenic within the period of the first month post-surgery and may promote angiogenesis within the residual tumor foci. The clinical significance pertaining to these changes, if any, is uncertain and remains to be proven.