Interim analysis of short-term outcomes between robotic and laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer: results from the ESSIMIC trial.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether the benefits of robotic surgery can be applied to the treatment of colon cancer by evaluating short-term outcomes of robotic versus laparoscopic colonic resection.

Methods: This interim analysis of an interventional multicenter randomized trial was conducted to compare outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic colorectal surgery performed between January 2017 and December 2019. The study specifically assessed short-term outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic right or left colectomy for cancer. In addition, all short-term outcomes were evaluated in separate subgroups of right and left colonic resections through prespecified subgroup analyses.

Results: A total of 323 patients were analyzed, of whom 142 underwent robotic-assisted surgery and 181 underwent laparoscopic surgery. Overall, 109 complications (33.7%) occurred in the short-term period, 41 (28.9%) in the robotic group and 68 (37.6%) in the laparoscopic group, with no differences between groups in intraoperative or postoperative complications. However, grade III complications were significantly more frequent in the laparoscopic group, with 17 cases (9.4%) compared to 5 cases (3.5%) in the robotic group. Oncological radicality was similar between groups. Functional recovery after surgery was superior in the robotic group, as reflected by a shorter time to mobilization (17.5±10.2 hours vs. 21.1±11.5 hours). In the right colectomy subgroup, rates of grade III complications (1.9% vs. 11.7%) and lymph nodes retrieved (20.3±10.3 vs. 20.2±6.4) favored robotic surgery. In the left colon cancer subgroup, functional recovery was also improved with robotic surgery (44.3±22.2 hours vs. 61.1±31.1 hours, as measured by the composite recovery outcome).

Conclusion: Robotic surgery is associated with fewer severe complications and improved postoperative recovery following colonic resections. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02871960.