Minimally invasive surgery vs. open surgery in colorectal cancer: a systematic analysis of the evidence

Authors

Keywords:

cáncer colorrectal, cirugía mínimamente invasiva, cirugía abierta, supervivencia, resultados oncológicos

Abstract

Introduction: Colorectal cancer has high global incidence and mortality rates, with surgery being its standard treatment. Minimally invasive surgery has gained acceptance due to potential clinical benefits such as reduced postoperative pain, less blood loss, and faster recovery. However, doubts remain regarding its oncological superiority compared to open surgery.

Objective: To compare the oncological effectiveness of minimally invasive and open surgery in colorectal cancer regarding overall survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines was performed using a structured search in electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, Scopus) for studies published between January 2010 and December 2023. Randomized trials and observational studies (prospective/retrospective) including adults with non-metastatic colorectal cancer were selected. Two independent reviewers evaluated the risk of bias using Cochrane RoB 2.0 and Newcastle-Ottawa tools.

Results: From 635 initial studies, 40 met inclusion criteria. Minimally invasive surgery showed oncological results similar or slightly superior to open surgery, with comparable overall survival rates and better outcomes in disease-free survival according to some studies. It also demonstrated lower postoperative morbidity, lower incidence of surgical site infections, and fewer reoperations.

Conclusions: Minimally invasive surgery showed similar or superior oncological outcomes compared to open surgery and was associated with lower early postoperative morbidity.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Published

2025-07-14

How to Cite

1.
Quinde Suárez KS, Murillo Flores SD, Parrales Paredes MD, Jiménez Martillo PM, Loor Marchan RG. Minimally invasive surgery vs. open surgery in colorectal cancer: a systematic analysis of the evidence. Rev Cubana Inv Bioméd [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 14 [cited 2025 Jul. 19];44. Available from: https://revibiomedica.sld.cu/index.php/ibi/article/view/3890