Enhanced Recovery in Rectal Cancer Surgery Does Not Improve Long-Term Survival

Implementing enhanced recovery pathways in rectal cancer surgery decreased short-term morbidity and length of hospital stay. However, adherence to these protocols did not show an improvement in long-term overall survival, cancer-specific survival, or disease-free survival compared to non-enhanced care. Therefore, while enhanced recovery pathways reduce short-term complications, they do not affect long-term oncological outcomes in rectal cancer patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery.