Association between Epidural Analgesia and Cancer Recurrence after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Abstract

In contrast to previous retrospective studies in the colon, breast, and prostate cancer surgery, the authors found that the use of epidural analgesia for perioperative pain control during colorectal cancer surgery was not associated with a decreased cancer recurrence; however, a potential benefit was observed in older patients. The benefit of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence may thus depend on the specific tumor type.