Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery in Colorectal Cancer: Current Trends and Future Perspectives
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: minimally-invasive surgery; rectal cancer; anal cancer; functional outcome; artificial intelligence
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Special Issue: Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery in Colorectal Cancer: Current Trends and Future Perspectives
Minimally invasive approaches have transformed colorectal cancer surgery over the past two decades. Laparoscopic techniques are now widely accepted as a standard of care, offering reduced postoperative pain, shorter recovery, and oncologic outcomes comparable to open procedures. More recently, robotic-assisted surgery has emerged as an important development, with enhanced visualization, greater instrument dexterity, improved ergonomics, and encouraging results particularly in complex pelvic surgery.
Nevertheless, key questions remain regarding the role and cost-effectiveness of robotic systems, their learning curve, and their impact on perioperative, functional, and long-term oncologic outcomes. At the same time, advances in imaging, artificial intelligence, and data-driven surgical planning promise to further reshape the field.
This Special Issue of Cancers seeks to bring together high-quality contributions that critically examine the current state and future perspectives of robotic and laparoscopic surgery in colorectal cancer. We invite original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and insightful perspectives covering topics such as comparative outcomes, patient selection, surgical training, registry-based evidence, cost-effectiveness, technological innovations, and patient-reported outcomes.
Our goal is to provide readers with a comprehensive and forward-looking overview of minimally invasive colorectal surgery and to stimulate discussion on how best to integrate technological advances into clinical practice for the benefit of patients worldwide.
Prof. Dr. Felix Aigner
Dr. Quentin Denost
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- robotic surgery
- laparoscopic surgery
- colorectal cancer
- minimally invasive surgery
- comparative outcomes (perioperative, oncologic, functional)
- conversion rates
- open surgery
- learning curve and surgical training
- cost‐effectiveness and health economics
- technological innovations (e.g., AI, imaging, instrumentation)
- quality of life and long‐term patient‐reported outcomes
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