La chirurgia laparoscopica nel tumore del colon-retto

Over the past decade advances in laparoscopic surgery have revolutionized the surgical approach to many diseases. Although the first case series on laparoscopic segmental colectomy in patient with sigmoid cancer was described in 1991, this technique has not been readily accepted. Despite reduced morbidity and improved convalescence after laparoscopic surgery for benign disorders, surgeons have been sceptical about similar advantages of laparoscopic colectomy for cancer. Several randomized trials were initiated in the early 1990s to compare the short and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing minimally invasive and conventional open surgery for colon cancer. This review examines recent data from randomized, controlled trials and meta-analysis, that report the short and long-term outcomes after laparoscopic colectomy for cancer.