What is the best surgical option for the resection of transverse colon cancer?

Transverse colon is an infrequent localization of colon cancer and it is burdened by a poor prognosis. The principle of oncological radicality includes primary tumor resection with adequate lymphadenectomy. To date, there is still no consensus on which type of surgical resection perform in case of transverse colon cancer (TCC). Lymphatic drainage and vascularization of this section of the colon is highly variable presenting with different anatomical variants. Moreover, mobilization of the transverse colon can be particularly challenging in comparison to other colon tracts. Despite a lack of standardized definitions, three main surgical options are proposed: segmental colectomy of the transverse colon [transverse colectomy (TC)], extended right colectomy (ERC) and subtotal colectomy (STC). The aim of the present review is to describe the outcomes, limitations and advantages of TC, ERC, and STC for TCC in order to identify possible trends in the current literature suggesting which is the best treatment option in both elective and emergency settings.