Current Status of Laparoscopic Surgery for Colorectal Cancer

Kim, Jun Gi

Abstract

Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer was first adopted 16 years ago. There are various limitations in performing laparoscopic surgery including the technical complexity and question of positive impact on the long-term oncologic outcome. The purpose of this review is to outline the important issues surrounding the laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer based on the most recently published articles. The laparoscopic approach provides the advantages of an illuminated and magnified view, which may be superior to open surgery. There was no significant difference on the oncologic clearance, especially its proportion of positive radial margins to the number of harvested lymph nodes. In addition, laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer was associated with earlier recovery of bowel function, need for fewer analgesics, and with a shorter hospital stay compared to open surgery. Long-term oncologic outcome does not appear to be impaired by laparoscopic resection and local recurrence and disease specific survival has been reported to be similar for both laparoscopic and open surgery for colorectal cancer. Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is feasible and safe when performed by experienced surgeons. The oncologic results of many ongoing prospective randomized controlled trials are eagerly awaited.