Discussion
left-sided obstructive colon cancer, cancer death, obstructive left-sided colon cancer, stoma, left sided obstructive colon cancer, Colorectal cancer, right-sided colon cancers, Colorectal Audit
COLORECTAL CANCER, COLONIC OBSTRUCTION
Colorectal cancer represents the third leading cause of cancer death in Europe and the USA. The risk increases with age, with more than half of the patients diagnosed above the age of 70. Acute colonic obstruction is a common presentation, accounting for up to 30% of cases, and represents one of the most common causes of surgical emergency. While the preferred treatment for obstructing right-sided colon cancers is primary resection with an ileocolic anastomosis, there is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal approach for left sided obstructive colon cancer [A recent large retrospective study utilizing data of the Dutch Colorectal Audit (DCRA)—a national mandatory registry—suggests that the bridge-to-surgery approach can significantly reduce perioperative mortality and permanent stoma rates and improve long-term survival in patients with left-sided obstructive colon cancer [To address these uncertainties, the present study aims to compare the peri- and postoperative outcomes of patients with obstructive left-sided colon cancer who undergo emergency resection versus those who receive decompressing stoma as bridge-to-surgery. The objective is to determine the optimal approach for the treatment of obstructive left-sided colon cancer and shed light on the associated perioperative and long-term outcomes.