[Laparoscopy resection for colon cancer. The new standard?]

Surgical resection is the primary treatment for colon cancer. The introduction and acceptance of laparoscopic colectomy for cancer has been gradual for a number of reasons including the fact that it is technically challenging, has less than dramatic patient benefits, and perhaps most significantly it could theoretically represent a compromise as an oncologic procedure. Evidence suggests that laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer is safe, feasible, and an oncologic adequate resection can be performed with acceptable operative times and conversion rates. It may result in improved outcomes when performed by experienced surgeons. The recently published results from the largest and first prospective randomized trial with sufficient statistical power have shown that laparoscopic colectomy is as effective as open colectomy in preventing recurrence and death from colon cancer. In experienced hands, laparoscopic colectomy for the cure of colorectal cancer appears to be equivalent to open surgery and may become standard in selected patients.