Colon Cancer and Laproscopic Surgery

May 1, 2004

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Laparoscopic Surgery Works for Colon Cancer

Minimally Invasive Surgery Just as Effective as Standard Surgery

By Warner

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

on Thursday, April 08, 2004

> Email to a friend > Printer-friendly version

April 8, 2004 -- Minimally invasive surgery for colon cancer may be just as

effective as more invasive surgery techniques but with a much shorter recovery

time, a new study suggests.

Researchers say laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer has been available

since 1991, but until now little information was available about the long-term

effectiveness of the procedure.

Laparoscopic surgery requires only a few small or " keyhole " incisions, rather

than a large incision required by standard surgical techniques. During the

procedure, a camera and small surgical instruments are inserted through the

small incisions to guide the surgeon in the removal of the tumor.

In one of the first studies to compare the long-term survival of patients who

had laparoscopic surgery with those who had conventional surgical tumor

removal for colon cancer, researchers found that the minimally invasive

technique

was as effective as conventional surgery and had the added benefit of a shorter

recovery period.

New Option for Colon Cancer Surgery

The study, published in the April 10 issue of The Lancet, involved 403 people

with colon cancer who were randomly assigned to have either laparoscopic or

conventional open resection of the tumor. The patients were then followed over

a 10-year period from 1993 to 2002.

Researchers found that the five-year survival rates were not significantly

different between the two groups (76% for laparoscopy and 73% for conventional

surgery).

The percentage of patients who were cancer-free five years after surgery was

also similar, 75% vs. 78% in the laparoscopic and conventional groups,

respectively.

The study showed that surgery time for the minimally invasive procedure was

longer, but recovery time after surgery was shorter and significantly better in

reducing pain.

But researchers say the benefits of laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer

came at a higher cost compared with conventional surgery. They estimated that

direct costs from the laparoscopic procedure were about $2,100 more than the

traditional surgery.

However, researchers say that difference in cost may become smaller with time

due to advances in technology, staff training, and competition.

SOURCE: Leung, K. The Lancet, April 10, 2004; vol 363: pp 1187-1192.

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May 1, 2004

Amen to this. I had laoroscopic resection of my colon and the

recovery was easy as pie. Almost no pain at all, and just the three

holes for the equipment and a 3 " slit where the tumor was removed

from my abdomen. I can't imagine how much more difficult my recovery

would have been if I had an open resection. I was barely acceptable

as a candidate for surgery because of my breathing. The doctor

decided to take a chance and I came out of the operating room with

no breathing tube! While it took several months to get my lungs back

in shape -- chemo started killing off the small tumors in the lungs -

- I am fully recovered from the surgery that took place on Dec. 26

of last year.

By all means, ask your surgeon if this is an option for you. It is

easily worth the extra cost.

-joe-

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>

> Laparoscopic Surgery Works for Colon Cancer

>

> Minimally Invasive Surgery Just as Effective as Standard Surgery

>

> By Warner

> WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

> on Thursday, April 08, 2004

>

> > Email to a friend > Printer-friendly version

>

> April 8, 2004 -- Minimally invasive surgery for colon cancer may

be just as

> effective as more invasive surgery techniques but with a much

shorter recovery

> time, a new study suggests.

>

> Researchers say laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer has been

available

> since 1991, but until now little information was available about

the long-term

> effectiveness of the procedure.

>

> Laparoscopic surgery requires only a few small or " keyhole "

incisions, rather

> than a large incision required by standard surgical techniques.

During the

> procedure, a camera and small surgical instruments are inserted

through the

> small incisions to guide the surgeon in the removal of the tumor.

>

> In one of the first studies to compare the long-term survival of

patients who

> had laparoscopic surgery with those who had conventional surgical

tumor

> removal for colon cancer, researchers found that the minimally

invasive technique

> was as effective as conventional surgery and had the added benefit

of a shorter

> recovery period.

>

> New Option for Colon Cancer Surgery

>

> The study, published in the April 10 issue of The Lancet, involved

403 people

> with colon cancer who were randomly assigned to have either

laparoscopic or

> conventional open resection of the tumor. The patients were then

followed over

> a 10-year period from 1993 to 2002.

>

> Researchers found that the five-year survival rates were not

significantly

> different between the two groups (76% for laparoscopy and 73% for

conventional

> surgery).

>

> The percentage of patients who were cancer-free five years after

surgery was

> also similar, 75% vs. 78% in the laparoscopic and conventional

groups,

> respectively.

>

> The study showed that surgery time for the minimally invasive

procedure was

> longer, but recovery time after surgery was shorter and

significantly better in

> reducing pain.

>

> But researchers say the benefits of laparoscopic surgery for colon

cancer

> came at a higher cost compared with conventional surgery. They

estimated that

> direct costs from the laparoscopic procedure were about $2,100

more than the

> traditional surgery.

>

> However, researchers say that difference in cost may become

smaller with time

> due to advances in technology, staff training, and competition.

>

> SOURCE: Leung, K. The Lancet, April 10, 2004; vol 363: pp 1187-

1192.

>

> Physician | Corporate

> Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy and

Agreement

>

> WebMD is a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program and subscribes

to the

> HONcode principles of the Health On the Net Foundation

>

> & & & & & & &

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May 1, 2004