Sixty-seven women undergoing mastectomy or thyroidectomy under general anaesthesia were randomly allocated to the propofol or sevoflurane groups. Venous blood samples for measuring the apoptotic and necrotic markers M30 and M65 as well as for measuring the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) liverenzymes were collected before induction of anaesthesia, immediately after completion of surgery, and 24 and 48 h postoperatively. Results. The M30 values preoperatively and 0, 24 and 48 h postoperatively were 280±229, 300±244, 267±198 and 254±189 U/l in the propofol group and 237±95, 242±109, 231±94 and 234±127 U/l in the sevoflurane group, respectively. The M30 values did not differ within or between the groups. The M65 levels at the same time intervals were 470±262, 478±271, 456±339 and 485±273 in the propofol group and 427±226, 481±227, 389±158 and 404±144 U/l in the sevoflurane group, respectively. No significant changes were found in the M65 either within or between the propofol and the sevoflurane groups. The ALT and AST levels did not change at these time intervals. Interpretation &