Mini-invasive surgery may be advised in oncology

In the last decade mini-invasive surgery has consistently developed with good results, but also with some unjustified clinical applications. This review is aimed at defining evidence based indications and procedures ('clinical practice') and those still worthy of controlled studies in oncologic centers with expertise in mininvasive surgery ('clinical research'). At present, diagnostic and staging laparoscopy and thoracoscopy represent the 'standard' for different tumors. Conversely, therapeutic indications according to evidence based medicine criteria are still limited. Tumors treatment by mini-invasive surgery requires 'expertise' on the part of the surgical team; this can be achieved by extensive training of a correct use of instruments and methods following the general surgical principles of traditional 'open surgery'. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.