Surgery for Colorectal Cancer

During surgery, the cancer is removed in accordance with sound oncological principles. We remove a small length of normal colon on either side of the cancer to ensure that no microscopic cancer cells are left behind. In addition, the nearby lymph nodes corresponding to the colon cancer are also removed as the cancer can spread to these nodes.

During the surgery, we perform a thorough evaluation to make sure the cancer has not spread.

Minimally Invasive Procedures (MIP) for Colon Cancer

Advancing technology and research have transformed surgery for the treatment of colon cancer in recent years. In the past, most patients underwent open surgery for colon cancer. However, patients now have a second surgery option, laparoscopic colon surgery, also known as a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure.

During a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure for colon cancer, we make two or three small incisions, in the patient’s abdomen. A small video camera, or scope, is placed in one of the incisions, providing a magnified view of the patient’s internal organs on a monitor. Surgical instruments are placed in the other incisions, allowing us to work inside and remove the diseased portions of the colon.

Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures for colon cancer have been shown to be as effective as open surgery while offering many benefits over the open procedure, according to one of the largest controlled trials in the United States and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2004. These benefits include:

• Quicker recovery time
• Shorter hospital stay
• Less pain
• Less scarring

Patients considering a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure should consult with a surgeon who is experienced in minimally invasive techniques.