©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Feb 27, 2026; 18(2): 113867
Published online Feb 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i2.113867
Published online Feb 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i2.113867
Emergency surgery for malignant large bowel obstruction: Assessing management options and outcomes
Terence N Moyana, Division of Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8L6, Ontario, Canada
Author contributions: Moyana TN is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the conception, design, research, writing, and finalization of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Terence N Moyana, MD, FRCPC, FCAP, Full Professor, Division of Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa K1H 8L6, Ontario, Canada. tmoyana@toh.ca
Received: September 5, 2025
Revised: November 11, 2025
Accepted: December 3, 2025
Published online: February 27, 2026
Processing time: 174 Days and 14.2 Hours
Revised: November 11, 2025
Accepted: December 3, 2025
Published online: February 27, 2026
Processing time: 174 Days and 14.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Malignant large bowel obstruction was traditionally managed by emergency surgery, a strategy associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The introduction of self-expanding metal stents in the 1990s provided an option to emergency surgery with significant benefits for these patients. Looking ahead, advances in liquid biopsies and molecular biomarkers are poised to enhance cancer diagnostics and the monitoring of minimal residual disease, promising improved outcomes in the future.