Long-term results of laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection: current knowledge and what remains unclear.

Laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection has advanced considerably since it was first described in 1991. It is becoming increasingly popular, and earlier concerns about its oncologic safety are being dispelled by long-term data, which have emerged over recent years, suggesting that laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery is not inferior to open surgery. This article reviews our current knowledge of the long-term results of laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection, and addresses what remains unknown and needs to be elucidated.