Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy for colon cancer.

Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy (LAC) for colon cancer was first described in 1991. Unlike other laparoscopic procedures used to treat benign disease, the LAC for colon cancer has been slow to gain acceptance for a variety of reasons. Recently, several large, randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that LACs are comparable with open colectomies with respect to oncological issues such as survival, port-site metastases and tumor recurrence. Moreover, there are significant patient benefits with the use of LAC including duration of analgesic use, return of bowel function, length of stay and return to normal activity.