Short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open lateral lymph node dissection for locally advanced middle/lower rectal cancer using a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND

There are few reports on large-scale trials for the long-term outcomes regarding laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection (LLND). We evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open LLND for locally advanced middle/lower rectal cancer using a propensity score-matched analysis.

METHODS

From January 2005 to December 2016, consecutive clinical stage II to III middle/lower rectal cancer patients who underwent total mesorectal excision (TME) plus LLND were retrospectively collected at three institutions. Laparoscopic LLND was compared with open LLND for the surgical and oncological outcomes, including the long-term survival, using a propensity score-matched analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 325 patients were collected. There were 142 patients who underwent open TME plus LLND (open group) and 183 patients who underwent laparoscopic TME plus LLND (laparoscopic group). A total of 93 patients each were matched to each group. Compared to the open group, the laparoscopic group had a significantly longer operative time (327 vs. 377 min; p = 0.002) but significantly less blood loss (540 vs. 50 ml; p < 0.001), fewer Clavian-Dindo grade ≥ 2 postoperative complications (49.5% vs. 34.4%; p = 0.037) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (18 vs. 14 days; p = 0.008). Furthermore, the rate of urinary retention was significantly lower in the laparoscopic group than in the open group (16.1% vs. 6.5%; p = 0.037). The estimated 3-year overall survival, relapse-free survival, and cumulative incidence of local recurrence were 91.4%, 73.1%, and 3.4% in the open group and 90.3%, 74.2%, and 4.3% in the laparoscopic group (p = 0.879, 0.893, 0.999), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that laparoscopic LLND had advantages over an open approach, such as less blood loss, fewer postoperative complications, and a shorter postoperative hospital stay, and the oncologic outcomes were similar to the open approach. Laparoscopic LLND could be a viable standard approach to LLND for advanced middle/lower rectal cancer surgery.