Epidural Versus Patient-controlled Analgesia for Reduction in Long-term Mortality Following Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the industrialized world (12% of all cancers). In Sweden, 6000 new cases of colorectal cancer are reported each year, and almost half of these cases result in death. Several recently published retrospective studies show that regional anaesthesia (RA) can reduce cancer-related mortality following surgical treatment of colorectal, breast and prostate cancers and malignant melanoma. If these results are true, then the choice of perioperative pain management is as beneficial, or even better, than the current oncological therapies. This theory needs to be investigated in a prospective, randomized and controlled trail.