Transanal total mesorectal excision versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for mid and low rectal cancer (COLOR III): short-term outcomes of an international, multicentre, phase 3, randomised,
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- #minimally invasive surgery
- #rectal cancer surgery
- #oncological outcomes
- The COLOR III trial compared transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LapTME) for mid and low rectal cancer in a phase 3 non-inferiority study.
- Conversion rates were significantly lower with TaTME (1%) than with LapTME (17%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.03.
- 90-day postoperative complication rates and anastomotic leakage incidence were similar between the two surgical groups.
- Rates of macroscopically complete resection and positive resection margins (CRM and DRM) were also comparable, with low involvement.
- The study concludes that TaTME is safe, reduces conversion, and has similar short-term outcomes to LapTME, pending long-term oncological follow-up.