CHICAGO – For colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases, laparoscopic surgery has short-term advantages over open surgery, including fewer complications and better quality of life as compared to open surgery. Now, there are data to show that long-term outcomes with the laparoscopic approach aren’t any worse with the laparoscopic approach.
In a video interview at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Åsmund Avdem Fretland, MD, discusses results of the 280-patient randomized OSLO-COMET study, including 5-year survival of 56% for the laparoscopic approach, and similarly, 57% for the open procedure.
Based on lower morbidity, and now similar life expectancy, more centers should be doing laparoscopic procedures for liver metastases, said Dr. Fretland, a surgeon in the department of HPB surgery at Oslo University Hospital.
For now, however, open surgery appears to be the dominant approach. According to a recent survey, just 22% of U.S. patients with colorectal liver metastases have laparoscopic surgery.
More data could help. Dr. Fretland said in the interview that more randomized trials are underway aimed at evaluating the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open procedures.
Dr. Fretland reported honoraria from Olympus Medical Systems.
