COLOR II

The surgeons in the COlorectal cancer Laparoscopic or Open Resection II (COLOR II) trial are to be congratulated for their second major clinical trial success.1 It is no minor accomplishment to design a proper study, recruit a league of surgeons, engage a broad community of patients, and maintain equipoise as the world of surgery undergoes rapid change. Indeed, undertaking trials, such as reported by van der Pas and colleagues, requires determination, dedication, and substantial fi nancial support. Have we learned enough from this trial and other trials like it to justify the time and eff ort? From the results of COLOR II trial, we learn that patients with rectal cancer treated with laparoscopic resection had small gains in short-term outcomes, specifi cally shorter times to their bowel function returning and discharge from hospital, but no decrease in perioperative complications. These results are consistent with previous fi ndings from the laparoscopic colectomy trials, which is understandable because of the similarities of the trial methods.2–4 Mehr