Draeger T, et al. - Researchers, in this population-based retrospective cohort study, evaluated 5-year overall, relative, disease-free, and local recurrence-free survival of rectal cancer patients treated by open surgery and laparoscopy in order to demonstrate the oncologic safety of laparoscopic approach in clinical practice. They noted that 80.4% of laparoscopy patients were still alive, compared to 68.6% in the open group, after 5 years. Furthermore, superior local recurrence-free survival rates were observed with laparoscopy. Findings thereby supported that laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery can be considered safe in daily clinical practice.