MYTHS IN COLORECTAL-CANCER SURGERY

The importance of so-called oncological standards is stressed everytim e an innovation is introduced in surgical practice, It has been stated that for colorectal cancer surgery the following oncological rules mu st he followed: wide tumor resection with gentle tumour removal, en bl oc resection of the tumour without tumour cell spillage, no-touch isol ation technique, primary ligation of the vessels and systematic lymph node dissection, Most of these oncological standards and rules are unp recise and unproven. Prognosis of the patients is not improved. Operat ive trauma has been shown to be associated with reproducible alteratio ns in host immune function. This weakening of the immune system may in crease risk of distant recurrence arising from exfoliated malignant ce lls during the operation. Cp to now it is not known if laparoscopic te chniqu diminishes these adverse effects on the immune response.