Skip to main content
Log in

Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Resection in High-Volume Surgical Centers: Long-Term Outcomes from the LAPCOLON Group Trial

  • Original Scientific Report
  • Published:
World Journal of Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Strong evidence has confirmed the benefit of laparoscopy in colorectal cancer resection but remains a challenging procedure. It is not clear that such promising results in selected patients translate into a favorable risk–benefit balance in real practice. We conducted a multicenter national observational registry to assess operative and oncologic long-term outcomes following laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection.

Methods

All patients with laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection between 2001 and 2004 were included. Data were extracted from the prospective Italian national database of 10 high-volume centers (≥40 colorectal cancer laparoscopic resections per year). Surgical technique and follow-up were standardized. Survivals were analyzed by Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

We reported 1832 patients with colon (58.5 %) and rectal cancer (41.5 %). TNM stage was 0–I–II in 1044 patients (57 %) and III–IV in 788 patients (43 %). Surgery included a totally laparoscopic procedure in 1820 patients (99.3 %). Conversion was 10.5 %. Postoperative morbidity and 30-day mortality rates were 17 and 1.2 %, respectively. Clinical anastomotic leakage rate was 8.3 % (n = 152). R0 resection was 95 %. With a median follow-up of 54.2 months, cancer recurrence rate was 13.3 %. At 5 years, cancer-free survival was 86.7 %. Upon multivariate analysis, age (P = 0.001) and TNM stage (P < 0.001) were associated with cancer-free survival. Predictive factors of cancer recurrence were gender (P = 0.029) and TNM stage (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In high-volume centers and non-selective patients, laparoscopic colorectal resection for cancer achieves good operative results with satisfactory long-term oncologic results. Even in the laparoscopy era, age, gender, and TNM stage remain the most powerful predictor of oncologic outcomes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wilkinson N, Scott-Coner CE (2008) Surgical therapy for colorectal adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 371:253–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Martel G, Boushey RP (2006) Laparoscopic colon surgery: past, present, future. Surg Clin North Am 86:867–897

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Abraham NS, Young JM, Solomon MJ (2004) Meta-analysis of short term outcomes after laparoscopic colorectal resection for cancer. Br J Surg 91:1111–1124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Buunen M, Veldkamp R, Hop WC et al (2009) Survival after laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for colon cancer: long-term outcome of a randomised clinical trial. Lancet Oncol 10:44–52

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jayne DG, Thorpe HC, Copeland J et al (2010) Five-year follow-up of the Medical Research Council CLASICC trial of laparospically assisted versus open surgery for colorectal cancer. Br J Surg 97:1638–1645

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Braga M, Frasson M, Zuliani W et al (2010) Randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic versus open left colonic surgery. Br J Surg 97:1180–1186

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Garlipp B, Ptok H, Schmidt U et al (2012) Factors influencing the quality of total mesorectal excision. Br J Surg 99:714–720

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Guillou PJ, Quirke P, Thorpe H et al (2005) Short-term endpoints of conventional versus laparoscopic-assisted surgery in patients with colorectal cancer (MRC CLASICC trial):multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 365:1718–1726

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jayne DG, Guillou PJ, Thorpe H et al (2007) Randomized trial of laparoscopic-assisted resection of colorectal carcinoma: 3-year results of the UK MRC CLASICC Trial Group. J Clin Oncol 25:3061–3068

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hohenberger W, Merkel S, Hermanek P (2013) Volume and outcome in rectal cancer surgery: the importance of quality management. Int J Colorectal Dis 28:197–206

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Berends FJ, Kazemier G, Bonjer HJ et al (1994) Subcutaneous metastases after laparoscopic colectomy. Lancet 344:58

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lujan J, Valero G, Hernandez Q et al (2009) Randomized clinical trial comparing laparoscopic and open surgery in patients with rectal cancer. Br J Surg 96:982–989

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Van der Pas MH, Haglind E, Cuesta MA et al (2013) Colorectal cancer laparoscopic or open resection II (COLOR II) study group. laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer (COLOR II): short-term outcomes of a randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 14:210–218

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ohtani H, Tamamori Y, Azuma T et al (2011) A meta-analysis of the short- and long-term results of randomized controlled trials that compared laparoscopy-assisted and conventional open surgery for rectal cancer. J Gastrointest Surg. 15:1375–1385

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Panis Y, Maggiori L, Caranhac G et al (2011) Mortality after colorectal cancer surgery: a French survey of more than 84,000 patients. Ann Surg 254:738–743

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bege T, Lelong B, Esterni B et al (2010) The learning curve for the laparoscopic approach to conservative mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: lessons drawn from a single institution’s experience. Ann Surg 51:249–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Laparoscopic versus open surgery for the treatment of colorectal cancer: a literature review and recommendations from the Comite de l’Evolution des Pratiques en Oncologie (2013). Can J Surg 56:297–310

  18. Prakash K, Kamalesh NP, Pramil K et al (2013) Does case selection and outcome following laparoscopic colorectal resection change after initial learning curve? Analysis of 235 consecutive elective laparoscopic colorectal resections. J Minim Access Surg. 9:99–103

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Dincler S, Koller MT, Steurer J et al (2003) Multidimensional analysis of learning curves in laparoscopic sigmoid resection: eight-year results. Dis Colon Rectum 46:1371–1378

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Park IJ, Choi GS, Lim KH et al (2009) Multidimensional analysis of the learning curve for laparoscopic resection in rectal cancer. J Gastrointest Surg 13:275–281

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ito M, Sugito M, Kobayashi A et al (2009) Influence of learning curve on short-term results after laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer. Surg Endosc 23:403–408

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Heald RJ, Husband EM, Ryall RD (1982) The mesorectum in rectal cancer surgery. The clue to pelvic recurrence ? Br J Surg 69:613–616

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Rullier E, Denost Q, Vendrely V et al (2013) Low rectal cancer: Classification and standardization for surgery. Dis Colon Rectum 56:560–567

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Compton CC. Colorectal cancer. In: Gospodarowicz MK, O’Sullivan B, Sobin LH (eds) UICC (2006). Prognostic factors in cancer, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York, p 133–137

  25. Siegel EM, Jacobsen PB, Malafa M et al (2012) Evaluating the quality of colorectal cancer care in the state of Florida: results from the Florida initiative for quality cancer care. J Oncol Pract. 8:239–245

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank A Dannibale MD, G Cutini MD, PC Giulianotti MD PhD, E Iovine MD, G Pignatta MD, F Prete MD, and R Pugliese MD for giving us the data of their patients.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frederic Bretagnol.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huscher, C.G.S., Bretagnol, F. & Corcione, F. Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Resection in High-Volume Surgical Centers: Long-Term Outcomes from the LAPCOLON Group Trial. World J Surg 39, 2045–2051 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-015-3050-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-015-3050-4

Keywords

Navigation