[Trends in laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer: 10-year experience worldwide]

Laparoscopic colorectal surgery was introduced in 1991 and has been performed around the world. We review the English literature on this technique, including reports of case series, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials. These reports show that laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is safe and useful and that the short-term results of this technique are acceptable and satisfactory. Port-site metastasis is rare in the more recent experience of skilled laparoscopic surgeons, and the survival rates of patients after laparoscopic surgery are comparable to those after conventional open procedures. In the near future, long-term results, including 5-year survival rates, will be clarified in randomized controlled trials comparing laparoscopic and open resections of colorectal cancer.