Transanal and robotic surgeries yield better outcomes for rectal cancer

A Bayesian network meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials involving 8,696 patients indicates that transanal robotic resection (ta-rr) and robotic resection (r-rr) demonstrate superior histopathological outcomes compared to laparoscopic resection (l-rr) for rectal cancer. Specifically, ta-rr was associated with significantly lower odds of non-complete mesorectal excision (odds ratio, 0.60). These findings contribute to ongoing debates on optimal surgical approaches for rectal cancer treatment.