Oncologic outcome of stages II/III colon cancer treated via minilaparotomy

We analyzed clinicopathologic, surgical, and survival data on consecutive series of patients with stages II/III colon cancer for whom curative resection via minilaparotomy (skin incision, < or = 7 cm) was attempted between September 2002 and March 2009 to clarify the oncologic safety of this type of surgery. There were 64 men and 55 women; the median age was 70 years (range, 25-91 years). The median body mass index was 21.7 kg/ m2 (range, 15.1-28.9 kg/m2). The minilaparotomy approach was successful in 115 cases (96.6%). The cumulative 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 89.7% and 82.4%, respectively, in patients with stage II disease (n = 62) and were 68.4% and 82.4%, respectively, in patients with stage III disease (n = 57), all of which were compatible with those of the historical control patients who underwent conventional open surgery. Minilaparotomy approach for stages II/III colon cancer seems to be oncologically equivalent to conventional open surgery.