Minimally invasive surgery in colon cancer patients leads to improved short-term outcomes and excellent oncologic results

Background: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques are beneficial compared with open techniques. There is a paucity of data of the potential advantages of MIS in colon cancer surgery for veterans. Therefore, we hypothesize that use of MIS in colon cancer resections in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center will lead to improved short-term outcomes without compromising oncologic outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was performed. We compared surgical, short-term, and oncologic outcomes in MIS versus open surgery. Results: MIS patients had significantly less blood loss, surgical time, days to return of bowel function, and hospital and intensive care unit stays. Also, they had a greater and more adequate lymphadenectomy, and were less likely to experience a postoperative complication. Survival analyses showed no difference in overall and disease-free survival. Conclusions: The use of MIS in colon cancer leads to improved short-term outcomes and similar oncologic outcomes when compared with open surgery.