Advances in and Issues With Minimally Invasive Surgery for Rectal Cancer in Elderly Patients

Colorectal cancer ranks third after breast cancer in terms of incidence and second after lung cancer in terms of mortality. Management of rectal cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, with the surgical management playing the main role. There are currently three resective techniques that complement the traditional open surgery: laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, and transanal total mesorectal excision. Rectal cancer in elderly patients is particularly hard to diagnose and treat surgically due to multiple comorbidities and limited functional reserve. Treatment of such patients may be associated with poorer outcomes after both open and minimally invasive surgery. This article reviews the current state of advances in minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer in general and in elderly patients in particular.