Colorectal surgery is undergoing a revolution with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), robotic systems, and precision medicine. These advancements promise to greatly enhance surgical precision, safety, and overall patient outcomes. Robotic-assisted procedures improve surgical dexterity and provide superior 3D visualization and instrument control, which are directly linked to reducing conversion rates and improving recovery times while minimizing postoperative discomfort. Concurrently, AI technologies are paving the way for real-time clinical decision-making and personalized patient care through enhanced preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance. Precision medicine, with its emphasis on genomic profiling and biomarker-driven treatment, enables customized, patient-specific surgical interventions based on an individual's risk factors and tumor biology.
Despite these innovations, colorectal surgery still faces challenges. Outcomes vary greatly between centers and populations, with serious complications like anastomotic leakage being prevalent. The elderly and patients with multiple comorbidities are particularly vulnerable, often missing out on curative treatments due to heightened operative risks. Additionally, there are significant disparities in access to modern surgical techniques, especially in low-income regions and among underserved communities. This Research Topic aims to explore how AI, robotics, and precision medicine can bridge these gaps. It focuses on standardizing surgical care, enhancing preoperative risk assessment, minimizing complications, and expanding minimally invasive techniques to reach a broader patient demographic, thus reducing outcome disparities.
To gather further insights in improving colorectal surgery outcomes through innovative technologies, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Predictive modeling and AI-driven analytics for perioperative decision support; o Advances in robotic-assisted surgical techniques and surgeon training; o Individualized risk assessment through biomarker and genomics-guided therapy; o Strategies for minimizing surgical complications and improving recovery; o Efforts to address disparities in access to advanced colorectal surgical care.
We invite a diverse range of manuscript types, including original research (e.g., clinical trials and cohort studies), systematic reviews or meta-analyses, consensus clinical guidelines, and case studies showcasing innovative applications. Contributions that focus on how AI, robotics, or precision medicine can be effectively integrated into surgical practices to improve outcomes will be particularly valued.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Clinical Trial
Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
