Objective To compare the impact of intravenous anesthesia versus inhalation anesthesia on T cell subsets and CD8+ T cell surface signaling molecules in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods Sixty⁃four patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective radical resection were randomly divided into Sev group（n = 32） and Pro group（n = 32）. The Sev group was treated with inhalation of sevoflurane，and the Pro group received intra⁃ venous infusion of propofol. Peripheral blood samples were collected before anesthesia（T1），2 hours after anesthesia （T2），3 days after operation（T3）and 7 days after operation（T4）. CD4+ T，CD8+ T，CD28+ CD8+ T，PD⁃1+ CD8+ T， CD45RO+ CD62LCD8+ T and CD45RO+ CD62L+ CD8+ T were detected and analyzed. Results CD4+ T/CD8+ T at T2 was lower than that at T1 in both groups. CD4+ T，CD4+ T/CD8+ T in the Sev group were lower than thatin the Pro Group at T2 and T3，PD⁃1+ CD8+ T was higher than that in the Pro Group at T2，and CD28+ CD8+ T was lower than that in the Pro Group at T2（P < 0.05）. CD45RO+ CD62LCD8+ T and CD45RO+ CD62L+ CD8+ T in the Sev group were lower than those in the Pro group at T3 and T4（P < 0.05）. Conclusion General anesthesia may cause immunosuppression in colorectal cancer patients and the intravenous anesthesia of propofol causes less immunosuppression. Moreover ， intravenous anesthesia of propofolhas less inhibitory effect on memory T cells，as compared to inhalation anesthesia of sevoflurane.