Port-site metastases in patients undergoing laparoscopy for gastrointestinal malignancy

Laparoscopic colonic resection and laparoscopy for the assessment of malignant disease have been advocated. Metastatic deposits at port sites are recognized but the incidence of these is poorly defined. Forty-six patients, of median age 65 (range 19-90) years, with gastrointestinal malignancy underwent laparoscopy. Eighteen patients died a median of 4 (range 1-28) months after laparoscopy, four following colonic resection and 14 with gastro-oesophageal malignancy; ten had undergone resection. Median follow-up of the 28 survivors is 8 (range 2-39) months. Five of the 46 patients developed port-site recurrence giving an early incidence of port-site recurrence in this cohort of patients of 11 per cent. Five of 20 patients with tumour involving serosal surfaces developed port-site recurrence compared with none of 26 without serosal involvement (P = 0.022, Fisher's exact test). Port-site recurrence may be related to serosal involvement with tumour.