Laparoscopic management of colorectal cancer

Laparoscopic treatment of colorectal cancer has emerged as a result of the technical advances that have been made since the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The minimal-access approach to treatment of benign disease results in smaller incisions, reduced length of hospital stay, and a faster return to productive life. Laparoscopic approaches to colon cancer must take into consideration the potential effects of the technique on tumor dissemination at the time of the surgical procedure, as well as rates of recurrence and overall survival. Several technical approaches to laparascopic colon resection have now become possible, utilizing either total intra-abdominal maneuvers or laparoscopic-assisted techniques. Margins of resection and lymph node removal with the minimal-access techniques compare favorably with those of open colectomy. Several series now show that early results utilizing laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer are favorable but that routine implementation of this procedure should await confirmatory outcomes generated by well-done prospective clinical trials.