Abstract:

Over the past three decades, the development of laparoscopic radical surgery for rectal cancer in China has undergone a progression from exploring safety and feasibility to establishing a quality control system for surgery, standardizing functional radical surgery and procedural operations, and advancing in neoadjuvant therapy and rectum-preserving strategies. Firstly, the evidence level of laparoscopy in rectal cancer radical surgery has gradually increased, transitioning from exploration of safety and feasibility to standardized treatment protocols. Secondly, with the development of mesorectal anatomy and advancements in minimally invasive surgery, the procedural operations of laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery have become more standardized, with the preservation of organ function and improvement of long-term quality of life becoming important goals in rectal cancer treatment. Thirdly, with the progress of science and technology and comprehensive therapy, laparoscopic surgery for advanced rectal cancer has gradually overcome prohibitions, achieving minimally invasive surgery for extensive operations, diversifying surgical approaches, and individualizing surgical methods; along with the advancement of neoadjuvant therapy for low rectal cancer, strictly adhering to indications for rectum-preserving treatment strategies, further improving patient quality of life while ensuring oncological efficacy, and realizing non-surgical treatment for low rectal cancer. This article will summarize and analyze the tremendous laparoscopic radical surgery for rectal cancer over the past three decades in China, including surgical safety, oncological eradication, and functional preservation, based on the author's practice.

Key words: Rectal Neoplasms, Laparoscopic Surgery, Total Mesorectal Excision, Intersphincteric Resection, Organ Preservation