Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Sep 5;2(6):406-412.
doi: 10.1002/ags3.12202. eCollection 2018 Nov.

Robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer: Current state and future perspective

Takatoshi Matsuyama  1 , Yusuke Kinugasa  1 , Yasuaki Nakajima  1 , Kazuyuki Kojima  2
Affiliations
Review

Robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer: Current state and future perspective

Takatoshi Matsuyama et al. Ann Gastroenterol Surg. .

Abstract

Interest in minimally invasive surgery has increased in recent decades. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) was introduced as the latest advance in minimally invasive surgery. RALS has the potential to provide better clinical outcomes in rectal cancer surgery, allowing for precise dissection in the narrow pelvic space. In addition, RALS represents an important advancement in surgical education with respect to use of the dual-console robotic surgery system. Because the public health insurance systems in Japan have covered the cost of RALS for rectal cancer since April 2018, RALS has been attracting increasingly more attention. Although no overall robust evidence has yet shown that RALS is superior to laparoscopic or open surgery, the current evidence supports the notion that technically demanding subgroups (patients with obesity, male patients, and patients treated by extended procedures) may benefit from RALS. Technological innovation is a constantly evolving field. Several companies have been developing new robotic systems that incorporate new technology. This competition among companies in the development of such systems is anticipated to lead to further improvements in patient outcomes as well as drive down the cost of RALS, which is one main concern of this new technique.

Keywords: clinical outcome; minimally invasive surgery; rectal cancer; robotic surgery; technical advancement.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Jayne DG, Thorpe HC, Copeland J, Quirke P, Brown JM, Guillou PJ. Five‐year follow‐up of the Medical Research Council CLASICC trial of laparoscopically assisted versus open surgery for colorectal cancer. Br J Surg. 2010;97(11):1638–45. - PubMed
    1. Colon Cancer Laparoscopic or Open Resection Study G , Buunen M, Veldkamp R, et al. Survival after laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for colon cancer: long‐term outcome of a randomised clinical trial. Lancet Oncol. 2009;10(1):44–52. - PubMed
    1. Jeong SY, Park JW, Nam BH, et al. Open versus laparoscopic surgery for mid‐rectal or low‐rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (COREAN trial): survival outcomes of an open‐label, non‐inferiority, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(7):767–74. - PubMed
    1. Veldkamp R, Kuhry E, Hop WC, et al. Laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for colon cancer: short‐term outcomes of a randomised trial. Lancet Oncol. 2005;6(7):477–84. - PubMed
    1. van der Pas MH, Haglind E, Cuesta MA, et al. Laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer (COLOR II): short‐term outcomes of a randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2013;14(3):210–8. - PubMed