Comparison of Long-term Survival for Laparoscopic-assisted Surgery and Open Surgery for Right Colon Cancer: A Case-Control Study

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopy assisted and open surgery for patients with right colon cancer. METHODS: From June 1996 to May 2000, 35 patients underwent curative surgery with a laparoscopic-assisted right hemicolectomy (LAC), and from among the patients who had curative open surgery, 35 patients with clinicopathologic characteristics comparable to those of the LAC group were selected and matched as a control group (OC). A comparative analysis of long-term survival and patterns of recurrence between these two groups was done. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in demographic, laboratory and pathologic characteristics between the two groups. The mean follow-up period was 54.5 months. The overall five-year survival was 82.9% in the LAC group and 68.6% in the OC group, but was not statistically significant (P=0.17). Interestingly, the five-year survival of patients with TNM stage III tumors was significantly higher in the LAC group (84.2%) than in the OC group (52.6%) (P=0.04). There were no port-site recurrences or operative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for right-sided colon cancer were similar to those of open surgery. Interestingly, laparoscopic surgery for stage III tumors showed better survival than open surgery. However, a more large-scaled randomized study will be needed to clarify the oncologic safety of laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer.