Laparoscopic surgery for obese patients with colon cancer: a case-matched control study

Abstract

Purpose: This study compared the results of laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer in obese patients with a body-mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m(2) or higher with those in nonobese patients (BMI <25 kg/m(2)) who were matched for clinicohistopathological factors.

Methods: The oncologic outcomes were compared between 140 patients with a BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or higher (obese group) and 140 patients with a BMI of <25 kg/m(2) (nonobese group) that were matched for sex, tumor location, date of operation, and pTNM stage.

Results: The proportion of patients with postoperative complications was significantly higher in the obese group (15 %) than in the nonobese group (6 %). The disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate in patients with stage I or II disease were similar in the obese group (98.6 and 98.8 %, respectively) and the nonobese group (97.8 and 97.8 %, respectively). The disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate in patients with stage III disease also did not differ significantly between the obese group (77.2 and 79.4 %, respectively) and the nonobese group (83.4 and 84.9 %, respectively).

Conclusions: Postoperative complications and long-term oncologic outcomes were similar in obese and nonobese patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer in this hospital.