Laparoscopic approach to colon cancer.

At present, the laparoscopic approach for colon cancer must be regarded as a developmental procedure. Although laparoscopic colectomy has repeatedly been demonstrated to be feasible, safe, and reasonable, analysis of cancer control, health care costs, and quality of life are needed. Questions remain, particularly with respect to recurrence and survival outcomes. All current clinical trials should be viewed as early and inconclusive, despite optimism expressed by some and pessimism by others. Therefore, patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy for carcinoma should be enrolled in prospective randomized trials. This is the only manner of conclusively resolving current controversies. The authors have enthusiasm for the future of laparoscopic colectomy for cancer even though it is necessary to wait for results from the controlled trials.