Minimally invasive surgery for colon cancer gives a better outcome than conventional operations, say researchers in Spain.

Surgery to remove diseased tissue, often in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, is standard treatment for colon cancer. A team at the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, has been comparing laparoscopy-assisted colectomy(LAC) - a minimally-invasive way of removing the diseased part of the colon - with the more conventional 'open' way of doing the operation.

A group of 219 patients with colon cancer received either LAC or the open procedure. Those in the LAC group required a shorter hospital stay and had a lower rate of complications. Moreover, they had a 60 per cent reduced risk of tumour recurrence compared to those in the open surgery group. Further research is needed, on bigger groups of patients, to see whether LAC should now be the preferred option for treating colon cancer.

Source

Lancet 29th June 2002