[Current status of laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer]

This article discusses the current status of laparoscopic rectal caner resection through reviewing the recently reported randomized and non-randomized international literatures focusing on laparoscopic as well as robotic-assisted laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer, especially on laparoscopic resection for mid and low rectal cancer. Even though laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer is proven to be safe and available, and to possess same efficacy of traditional open operation, so far multi-center randomized controlled trials about this procedure are limited. Open operation is still the standard procedure for rectal cancer. Robotic-assisted operation has been successfully applied in many fields of surgery, but is still in the explorative phase for rectal cancer.