Short- and long-term outcome differences between patients undergoing left and right colon cancer surgery: cohort study

Purpose Since the literature currently provides controversial data on the postoperative outcomes following right and left hemicolectomies, we carried out this study to examine the short- and long-term treatment outcomes. Methods This study included consecutive patients who underwent right or left-sided colonic resections from year 2014 to 2018 and then they were followed up. The short-term outcomes such as postoperative morbidity and mortality according to Clavien-Dindo score, duration of hospital stay, and 90-day readmission rate were evaluated as well as long-term outcomes of overall survival and disease-free survival. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed of overall and progression-free survival. Results In total, 1107 patients with colon tumors were included in the study, 525 patients with right-sided tumors (RCC) and 582 cases with tumors in the left part of the colon (LCC). RCC group patients were older (P<0.001), with a higher ASA score (P<0.001), and with more cardiovascular comorbidities (P<0.001). No differences were observed between groups in terms of postoperative outcomes such as morbidity and mortality, except 90-day readmission which was more frequent in the RCC group. Upon histopathological analysis, the RCC group's patients had more removed lymph nodes (29 +/- 14 vs 20 +/- 11, P=0.001) and more locally progressed (pT3-4) tumors (85.4% versus 73.4%, P=0.001). Significantly greater 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival (P=0.001) were observed for patients in the LCC group, according to univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conclusions Patients with right-sided colon cancer were older and had more advanced disease. Short-term surgical outcomes were similar, but patients in the LCC group resulted in better long-term outcomes.