title: Laparoscopic colon resection for colon cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic colon resection for cancer is as yet an unproven operation. This review article summarizes current data on the topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Medline review identified articles published since 1990 summarizing patients with potentially curable colon cancer who underwent a laparoscopic-assisted colon resection. Only articles that were randomized or had a control group with historical or matched open cases were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Very few prospective randomized controls exist. Several clinical trials are under way with one completed. Data thus far support some patient benefits with a laparoscopic approach. No differences in morbidity, oncologic data, or survival appear to exist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of ongoing clinical trials are still needed to further evaluate the role of laparoscopic assisted colon resection in patients with potentially curable colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. mcuret@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Jennefer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kieran
authors.forename: Myriam J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Curet
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome