Use of laparoscopy in colorectal cancer surgery is still limited. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of use of laparoscopic colorectal surgery for cancer at academic medical centers and to evaluate if the site of surgery influences the rate of use. Clinical data of patients who underwent laparoscopic or open colon and rectal resections for cancer from 2007 to 2009 were obtained from the University HealthSystem Consortium database. Data concerning rate of laparoscopy, length of stay, morbidity, and risk-adjusted mortality were obtained. During the 36-month study period, 22,780 operations were performed. The overall rate for use of laparoscopy was 14.8 per cent. Laparoscopy was most often used for total colectomy (22.6%), sigmoid colectomy (17.3%), cecectomy (17.1%), and right hemicolectomy (17.0%). Laparoscopy was most infrequently used for abdominoperineal resection (8.0%), transverse colectomy (10.0%), and left hemicolectomy (13.1%). Length of stay for laparoscopic colon and rectal procedures was 3.2 days shorter than for open surgery. Although the benefits of laparoscopic colorectal surgery for cancer have been demonstrated, the use of laparoscopy for colorectal resection remains under 20 per cent for colon cancer and under 10 per cent for rectal cancer. Further studies are needed to determine the factors limiting the use of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery.