To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of complete mesocolic excision (CME) and traditional radical resection in the treatment of stage Ⅲ colon cancer.

The clinical data of 113 patients with stage Ⅲ colon cancer treated in our hospital from June 2011 to June 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to the different surgical procedures, all the cases were divided into CME group (58 cases received complete mesocolic excision) and traditional group (55 cases received traditional radical resection). Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS17.0 software, intraoperative and postoperative measurement data were expressed as (±s) and were compared by student’s t test. Postoperative complication rate, recurrence rate and mortality rate within 2 years were compared by chi-square test. P less than 0.05 was considered as significant difference.

The number of removed lymph nodes, intraoperative blood loss in CME group were significantly better than those in traditional group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); There was no significant difference in operation time, proximal margin length, distal margin length, first flatus time, first defecation time, ground activity time, postoperative fasting time, average hospitalization time, and postoperative complication rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The recurrence rate within 2 years in CME group was significantly lower than that in traditional group (5.2% vs. 21.8%, χ²=6.795, P=0.009); The mortality rate within 2 years in CME group was significantly lower than that in traditional group (3.4% vs. 12.7%, χ²=4.310, P=0.038).

Complete mesocolic excision has better efficacy than traditional radical resection in treatment of stage Ⅲ colon cancer, with advantages of more extensive lymph node dissection, less intraoperative bleeding, and decreased recurrence rate.