OBJECTIVETo evaluate the endoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of early colon carcinoma.

METHODSThe data of 55 early colon cancer patients, including 30 male, 25 female with mean age of 54 years(ranged 42 to 68), undergone endoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery at the colon were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSFrom March 2002 to December 2007, 55 early colon cancer patients were treated with endoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery in our institute. In 53 cases, a laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative bowel segment resection was performed at first. Of these 53 patients, 11 cases then received laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative radical anatomical resection according to the result of frozen section. Two cases were transferred to open surgery because of small intestinal inflation after endoscopic location. The mean operative time of cooperation was 90 min (55-240 min), and the mean blood loss was 50 ml(10-200 ml). In 51 cases(92.7%), the time for flatus passage was 2 to 3 days. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 5 d(2-15 d). No postoperative complications were found. Follow-up data were obtained by clinical examination and personal communication via telephone. The median follow-up was 42 months(ranged 3-72). Most of the patients were alive except one case died of myocardial infarction during the follow-up period. None of the patients with early colon cancer treated by the cooperative surgery had relapse or metastasis. Two cases of T1N1Mx underwent adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONSEndoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery offers a minimal-invasive and safe therapeutic approach for early colon cancer. The early colon cancer may be a good indication for endoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery when the endoscopic mucosal resection is inadequate.