The primary treatment for colon cancer today is surgery, and may be minimally invasive colon surgery. In the past, most patients underwent “open” surgery for colon cancer. However, in 2004, The New England Journal of Medicine published a landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, led by the Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Therapy (COST) Study Group, that supports the use of laparoscopic-assisted colectomy for patients with colon cancer.8 This approach offers many benefits over traditional open surgery, including

• Shorter hospital stay

• Less pain

• Less scarring

• Quicker recovery time⁸

As a result of this 10-year study, which provided breakthrough results, the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons released a statement that laparoscopic colectomy for curable cancer results in equivalent cancer-related survival compared to open colectomy when performed by experienced surgeons.⁸

To view The New England Journal of Medicine study, click here. (Note: this site requires a subscription.)

Here’s what other organizations and professionals are saying about minimally invasive colon surgery: 

American Cancer Society

“Laparoscopic surgery is an attractive option for patients because it uses smaller incisions than traditional open surgery, and patients typically recover from the operation sooner.”

CancerCare [“Advances in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer”]

“The side effects are fewer and the recovery is faster.”

American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons

“Laparoscopic colectomy for curable cancer results in equivalent cancer related survival to open colectomy when performed by experienced surgeons.”

National Cancer Institute

“This trial has laid to rest most of the concerns that existed about laparoscopic surgery for patients with colon cancer that can be removed with surgery.”

Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons

“Depending on the type of procedure, patients may leave the hospital in a few days and return to normal activities more quickly than patients recovering from open surgery.”

Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America

“Laparoscopic techniques are being employed more frequently and with wider indications in people with Crohn’s disease.”

Download, print out, and read brochures on minimally invasive colon surgery and colon diseases to help you and those you love understand your diagnosis and options for therapy.

If you’re considering minimally invasive colon surgery for colon disease, you should consult a surgeon experienced in minimally invasive colon surgery techniques who has performed at least 20 minimally invasive colon surgeries for colon disease.⁸

Locate a surgeon in your area who has training and experience in minimally invasive colon surgery for colon disease. Use this page to find a surgeon.

While finding a surgeon trained in minimally invasive colon surgery is important, finding the right surgeon for you is even more important. To help you determine a surgeon’s qualifications for minimally invasive colon surgery, use this list of questions to ask your surgeon.