SHORT TERM OUTCOMES AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC AND OPEN RESECTIONS FOR COLORECTAL CANCER-PROPENSITY SCORE ANALYSIS

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-specific mortality and the third most common cancer worldwide. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for nonmetastatic disease. Currently, most surgeons perform either open or laparoscopic resections. However, the implementation of minimally invasive surgery in all institutions can be challenging due to the learning curve, which may jeopardize oncologic results. The aim of the study was to compare the short-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open resections for colorectal cancer performed in a single institution. A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records of 99 consecutive patients who underwent elective resection for adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum. Patients were divided into two groups - the open surgery group and the laparoscopic group – and subsequently matched into 30 pairs using a propensity score technique. Variables compared between the groups included: demographics, tumor localization, type of resection, 30-days postoperative outcome, number of lymph nodes retrieved, length of resected specimens, distal margins, tumor T stage, and disease stage. Out of the total 99 patients included, 69 (69.7%) underwent an open approach and 30 (30.3%) a laparoscopic approach. According to propensity score analysis, patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery experienced significant differences compared with the open group (p < 0.05) in terms of shorter hospital stay, fewer complications, particularly infections. No statistical differences were observed between the groups in other analyzed variables (p > 0.05). The results suggest that patients treated with laparoscopic surgery experienced significant benefits in the first 30 postoperative days compared with those treated with an open approach. Minimally invasive surgery, apart from aesthetic benefits, offers important advantages in fewer complications, faster postoperative recovery and shorter hospital stay, without compromising oncologic principles of resection.