EAES rapid guideline: complete mesocolic excision for right-sided colon cancer-with SAGES and ESCP participation

Complete mesocolic excision (CME) is a surgical technique that aims to improve oncological outcomes of right-sided colon cancer resections. However, CME's technical complexity, surgical risks, and need for specialized training, present challenges. Also, variations in technical aspects and implementation lead to inconsistent outcomes.

To develop evidence-informed clinical practice recommendations on complete mesocolic excision for right-sided colon cancer, aiming to address whether laparoscopic CME should be preferred over standard laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for right-sided colon cancer.

The present guideline adheres to GRADE, AGREE-S, and Cochrane standards, using MAGICapp for development. The steering group included colorectal and general surgeons, supported by a Guidelines International Network-certified lead guideline developer, trainee methodologists, systematic reviewers and statisticians. The guideline panel included surgeons, oncologists, a pathologist, and a patient partner. It provides recommendations based on a linked systematic review, appraisal of benefits and harms, the certainty of the evidence, patient values and preferences, acceptability, feasibility, use of resources, and equity.

A conditional recommendation is issued in favor of CME for patients undergoing right hemicolectomy for right-sided colon cancer where expertise is available, based on low-to-moderate certainty evidence. The panel suggests CME is acceptable to stakeholders and feasible, despite potential equity issues due to variable expertise availability. There is insufficient evidence to recommend CME based on tumor location or cancer stage. A conditional recommendation means that the majority of well-informed patients, surgeons and other stakeholders, would opt for the recommended course of action, but discussion of relevant benefits and harms is advised prior to decisions. The full guideline with user-friendly decision aids is available in https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/EaG1dL .

This guideline provides evidence-informed recommendations on the management of right-sided colon cancer, developed in line with the highest quality methodological and reporting standards, and informed by an interdisciplinary panel of stakeholders.