Laparoscopic-Assisted Surgery Compared With Open Surgery in Treating Patients With Colon Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Clinical diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma
• •* Involving a single colon segment:
• •* Right colon from the ileocecal valve up to and including the hepatic flexure
• •* Left colon from the splenic flexure to the junction of the sigmoid and descending colon
• •* Sigmoid colon between the descending colon and the rectum (at least 15 cm from the dentate)
• •Diagnosis based on physical exam plus either a proctosigmoidoscopy and barium enema or a colonoscopy
• •No advanced local disease that renders laparoscopic resection impossible
• •No acutely obstructed or perforated colon cancer requiring urgent surgery
• •No transverse colon cancer (i.e., between distal hepatic flexure and proximal splenic flexure)
• •No stage IV disease
• •No rectal cancer (i.e., below the peritoneal reflection, lower edge of tumor less than 15 cm from dentate)
• •No American Society of Anesthesiologists IV/V disease classification
• •No associated gastrointestinal diseases (i.e., Crohn's, chronic ulcerative colitis, or familial polyposis) that require additional extensive operative evaluation or intervention
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Other:
• •No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except superficial squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Surgery:
• •No prohibitive scars/adhesions from prior abdominal surgery
• •Other:
• •No concurrent investigational treatments or invasive diagnostic procedures within 30 days after surgery