Laparoscopy, or keyhole surgery, for colorectal cancer has been done on patients for 10 years. The surgery is done through small holes instead of the more conventional large incision. While the patient clearly benefits from a faster recovery with the laparoscopic procedure, long-term benefits have not previously been studied.
Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer could become the treatment of choice after results from a new study. The study looks at the five-year survival rates of patients treated with laparoscopy vs. conventional surgery. The study included 400 patients with colorectal cancer in Hong Kong.Researchers found that the five-year survival was similar for patients who had laparoscopy or conventional surgery. The survival rate was 78 percent for patients treated with laparoscopy and 73 percent for conventional surgery. Since the laparoscopic procedure did not have a negative impact on survival and disease control, researchers say use of it would depend on the perceived value of its effectiveness in improving recovery after the operation.
