Selection for laparoscopic resection confers a survival benefit in colorectal cancer surgery in England

Laparoscopic surgery is being increasingly used in colorectal cancer resections. The aim of this national study was to determine whether laparoscopy confers a long-term survival advantage in colorectal cancer. A national administrative data set (Hospital Episode Statistics-HES) encompassing all elective hospital admissions in England between 2001 and 2011 was analysed. All patients that had a colorectal cancer resection (open or laparoscopic) were identified. Cox hazard regression was used to determine differences in overall survival (10 year) between the open and laparoscopy groups. A total of 141,682 patients underwent elective surgery for colorectal cancer, of which 20.9 % (n = 29,550) had a laparoscopic procedure. The median 5-year survival in the open group was 36.1 months compared with 46.1 months in the laparoscopic group (p = < 0.001). Survival analysis demonstrated laparoscopy to be an independent predictor of survival. Patients who underwent laparoscopic resection were 18 % less likely to die than patients who had an open CRC resection (HR 0.82, CI 0.79-0.83, p < 0.001). This survival benefit persisted even when initial post-operative mortality (90 day) was excluded (HR 0.87, CI 0.85-0.90, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis, exploring the effect of CRC laparoscopic surgery on survival in the elderly (> 79 years old), demonstrated similar survival benefit amongst patients treated using laparoscopy (HR 0.90, CI 0.86-0.94, p < 0.001). Patients not undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to survive if they underwent laparoscopic resection (HR 0.81, CI 0.78-0.83, p < 0.001). Similarly, patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a survival benefit if a minimal access surgical approach was utilised (HR 0.86, CI 0.81-0.91, p < 0.001). Laparoscopy confers a survival benefit, irrespective of age and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy, beyond the initial post-operative period in patients selected for elective colorectal cancer resection.