Higher hospital volume significantly reduces postoperative mortality in colorectal cancer surgery, which is crucial for patient selection and outcomes.

• Postoperative mortality risk decreased by 27% for colon resection and 25% for rectal resection at high-volume hospitals.
• A threshold of 30 rectal resections per year is suggested for defining high-volume hospitals; no similar threshold was found for colon resections.

Surgeons should consider these findings when referring patients for colorectal cancer surgery to optimize outcomes.