Laparoscopic surgery safe for colon cancer surgery (ASCO)

[Guest guest]

Last Updated: June 22, 2005

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Laparoscopic colectomy for the treatment

of cancer appears to be as safe as open resection, with some short-

term outcomes actually better after the minimally invasive approach,

according to a European trial reported in The Lancet Oncology

published online on June 21st.

Laparoscopic colectomy for cancer has not been readily accepted,

partly because of fears of cancer spread, note members of the

multicenter COLOR (COlon cancer Laparoscopic or Open Resection)

trial. In this trial investigators compared the outcomes of the two

techniques used to treat patients with one adenocarcinoma localized

in the caecum, ascending colon, descending colon or sigmoid colon and

in whom distant metastases were ruled out.

Included were 544 patients, median age 71 years, assigned a

laparoscopic procedure and 551 assigned an open procedure between

1997 and 2003. During surgery, 91 in the laparoscopic group were

converted to open surgery, primarily because of large and invasive

cancer, but analysis was performed on an intent-to-treat basis.

The extent of resection did not differ between the groups, senior

author Dr. H. Jaap Bonjer, with Dalhousie University in Halifax,

Canada, and colleagues report.

Although laparoscopic surgery took significantly more time (median

145 minutes versus 115 minutes, p < 0.0001), there was significantly

less loss of blood (100 mL versus 175 mL, p < 0.0001). Opioid

analgesic use was lower in the laparoscopic group, and time to first

bowel movement and postoperative discharge were shorter.

The groups were similar in the number of positive resection margins

identified microscopically and in the number of lymph nodes harvested

(median number 10). There were no differences in adverse events or

number of reinterventions 28 days after surgery between the two

groups.

The primary outcome, cancer-free survival after 3 years, will be

reported later, the authors note.

In the meantime, it appears that " laparoscopic surgery can be used

for safe and radical resection of cancer in the right, left, and

sigmoid colon. "

[Guest guest]

I don't remember if I actually posted a similar article on this in files

section. I think it might have been in LINK section too now that I

rack my chemo brain. It was a video of the procedure and intereview with

the patient who was back to work I think a week or two after the surgery.

I asked my doc about it, and they didn't have anyone available who would

do it at Fort Hood, but if I was really interested they would look

around for someone. He did explain that it maybe was not a good idea for

me. They need some room when doing that type of surgery so a person who

is bigger is better risk that some one with reasonably small stomach. I

did have my tubes ties back in 1975( with birth of last child) with this

method. Had little band aid scar below my navel, stitches disolved..

Went home day early as well, as hubby was in hospital with messed up

kidney; which they removed some 3 weeks later.

Anyway I think it is great way to have surgery and sure beats the dern

scar I have on my belly. Won't be wearing any bikini's anytime soon. LOL..

Jolene

[Guest guest]

I went through it. Of course, I am big and the doctor had plenty of

room to work . I was up and out of the hospital after my colon

resection in 5 days (leaving behind 11 cm of colon). I was back at

work the following week.

I would have been back to work sooner but I had significant lung

involvment and needed the time to get my lungs working well enough

to leave the oxygen behind.

I'm all for laparoscopic surgery whenever possible.

-joe-

> I don't remember if I actually posted a similar article on this in

files

> section. I think it might have been in LINK section too now that I

> rack my chemo brain. It was a video of the procedure and

intereview with

> the patient who was back to work I think a week or two after the

surgery.

> I asked my doc about it, and they didn't have anyone available who

would

> do it at Fort Hood, but if I was really interested they would look

> around for someone. He did explain that it maybe was not a good

idea for

> me. They need some room when doing that type of surgery so a

person who

> is bigger is better risk that some one with reasonably small

stomach. I

> did have my tubes ties back in 1975( with birth of last child)

with this

> method. Had little band aid scar below my navel, stitches

disolved..

> Went home day early as well, as hubby was in hospital with messed

up

> kidney; which they removed some 3 weeks later.

> Anyway I think it is great way to have surgery and sure beats the

dern

> scar I have on my belly. Won't be wearing any bikini's anytime

soon. LOL..

> Jolene