Laparoscopy For Colon Cancer Could Offer Long-term Survival Benefit Over Conventional SurgeryJune 26, 2002A study in this week's issue of THE LANCET suggests that laparoscopy-assisted surgery to treat colon cancer could be more favourable than conventional open surgery, with the potential to reduce operative complications, hospital stay, and increase cancer-related survival in the longer term. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. Prognosis associated with this disease has improved due to early diagnosis and changes in medical therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer, radiotherapy, and introduction of the total mesorectal excision technique in rectal cancer have increased survival, especially in patients with advanced (stage III) tumours. Although early reports on laparoscopy-assisted colectomy (LAC) in patients with colon cancer suggest that it can reduce complications around the time of surgery, its influence on long-term outcomes is unknown. Antonio Lacy and colleagues from Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, aimed to compare the efficacy of LAC and open colectomy (OC) for treatment of non-metastatic colon cancer in terms of tumour recurrence and survival. 219 patients with colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive either LAC or open colectomy (OC). Patients in the LAC group required shorter stays in hospital (around five days) compared with patients given conventional surgery (eight day hospital stay); surgery-related complications were less frequent in patients given laparoscopy (12 of 111 patients) than those given open surgery (31 of 108 patients). Patients given laparoscopy had a 60% reduced risk of tumour relapse compared with those given open surgery. Patients in the LAC group also had a relative risk reduction of 50% of death from all causes compared with patients in the OC group. Antonio Lacy comments: "our results show that LAC should be preferred to OC in patients with colon cancer because it reduces perioperative morbidity, shortens hospital stay, and prolongs cancer-related survival. This latter benefit was mainly due to differences in the subset of patients with stage III tumours, in whom LAC was also associated with lower tumour recurrence and longer overall survival. If these results were confirmed by ongoing multicentre randomised trials, LAC would become the standard surgical approach to patients with colon cancer." Lancet |
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| Related Colon Cancer Current Events and Colon Cancer News Articles Other Illnesses, Body Weight Do Not Explain Racial Disparities in Colon Cancer Survival, UAB Researchers Say A new study by University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) researchers shows that body-mass index (BMI) and co-existing medical conditions (co-morbidity) do not explain the decreased survival observed among African-Americans compared to Caucasians who also have colon cancer. Paradoxical protein might prevent cancer One difficulty with fighting cancer cells is that they are similar in many respects to the body's stem cells. By focusing on the differences, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a new way of tackling colon cancer. The study is presented in the prestigious journal Cell. Coffee break: Compound brewing new research in colon, breast cancer A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists. Curry-cure? Spicing up the effectiveness of a potential disease-fighter Scientists are reporting development of a nano-size capsule that boosts the body's uptake of curcumin, an ingredient in yellow curry now being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of several diseases. Colon cancer screening more effective earlier in day, UCLA study finds The effectiveness of a screening colonoscopy may depend on the time of day it is performed. According to a new UCLA study, early-morning colonoscopies yielded more polyps per patient than later screenings, and fewer polyps were found hour by hour as the day progressed. Study shows hormone replacement therapy decreases mortality in younger postmenopausal woman Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopausal estrogen deficiency has been in widespread use for over 60 years. Several observational studies over the years showed that HRT use by younger postmenopausal women was associated with a significant reduction in total mortality; available evidence supported the routine use of HRT to increase longevity in postmenopausal women. Experts issue call to reconsider screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer - the most diagnosed cancer for women and men - have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these diseases, argue experts from the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in an opinion piece published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Metals could forge new cancer drug Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds. New data: Hospital imaging centers poised to pull back, hitting patients hardest in rural areas Survivors and patients with cancers and heart disease, along with patient advocate organizations and physicians, today urged policymakers to enhance early diagnosis of deadly diseases by preserving access to advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, in final health care reform legislation. Whole-brain radiotherapy after surgery or radiosurgery not recommended for brain metastases Whole-brain radiotherapy should not be given routinely to all patients whose cancer has spread to the brain, say researchers who found that using it after surgery or radiosurgery in patients with a limited number of brain metastases and stable cancer in the rest of the body did not extend lives or help patients remain functionally independent for longer. More Colon Cancer Current Events and Colon Cancer News Articles |
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