Evaluation of the inflammatory response to minilaparotomy compared to conventional laparotomy in the surgical resection of colorectal cancer including its influence on long term survival and local recurrence

Study hypothesis: To compare standard surgical approach to minilaparotomy in patients undergoing surgical resection for colorectal cancer. Once group will have surgery in the conventional manner and the other will have it performed using a mini-laparotomy. A mini-laparotomy being where the incision, through which the abdominal cavity is entered to reach the cancer, is 15cm or less; whereas conventionally a cut is made along the entire length of the abdomen.
We aim to show that there is a reduced inflammatory response to the mini-laparotomies by measuring inflammatory markers (cytokines) from blood samples taken before and after surgery.
We believe that a reduced acute inflammatory response post surgery has benefits for the patient in both the short term with regards to improved recovery times to mobilisation and restoration of bowel function and the longer term with relation to rates of local recurrence of the tumour and overall prognosis.
Primary outcome(s): The primary outcome measure is the amount of acute inflammatory markers (the cytokines IL-6, IL-2, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha) measured from venous blood samples taken 1 day pre operation, day 1, day 5 and 2 months post surgery in the two groups.