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Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2006; 19(1): 013-018
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-939526
Copyright © 2006 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Laparoscopy for Rectal Cancer: The Need for Randomized Trials

Thomas E. Read1 , Peter W. Marcello2
  • 1Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Clinical Campus of the Temple University School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • 2Department of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Massachusetts
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
07 April 2006 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The adoption of laparoscopic proctectomy for rectal cancer has been relatively slow, primarily because of the technical difficulty of the procedure. The wide surgeon-to-surgeon variability in disease-free survival and local pelvic recurrence noted after open proctectomy is probably due to differences in surgical technique, and these differences are likely to be magnified when the additional challenge of laparoscopy is added to the procedure. At present, oncologic and functional outcomes data are limited. Although the adoption of laparoscopic techniques to perform curative proctectomy is likely to expand as technical challenges are overcome and experience and training improve, the results of prospective multicenter trials are necessary to ensure that the procedures provide an oncologic and functional outcome equivalent to that of conventional surgery.

KEYWORDS

Laparoscopy - randomized trials - rectal cancer - proctectomy

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Thomas E ReadM.D. 

Department of Surgery 4600N

Western Pennsylvania Hospital, 4800 Friendship Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Email: tread@wpahs.org

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