Background: This study was performed to compare the clinical safety and outcomes of laparoscopic versus open surgery for primary tumors in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer.
Methods: Pertinent studies were selected from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases; references from published articles; and reviews. Both prospective and retrospective studies were included for the meta-analysis. Clinical outcomes included safety, complications, mortality, and survival.
Results: Six trials involving 1802 patients were included. The operative time was longer for laparoscopic than for open surgery (mean difference (MD) = 44.20, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 17.31-71.09, Z = 3.22, P = 0.001). Laparoscopic surgery was also associated with fewer postoperative complications (odds ratio 0.53, 95 % CI 0.37-0.78, Z = 3.29, P = 0.001) and less operative blood loss (MD = -65.40, 95 % CI -102.37 to -28.42, Z = 3.47, P = 0.0005). Median survival ranged from 11.4 to 30.1 months. The total hospital stay was 1.68 days shorter for laparoscopic than for open surgery (95 % CI -1.83 to -1.53, Z = 21.64, P < 0.00001).
Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery for palliative resection of stage IV colorectal cancer is associated with better perioperative outcomes than open surgery.
Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Laparoscopic surgery; Open surgery.