Quality and scientific accuracy of patient-oriented information on the internet on minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer

Abstract Objectives Appropriate information on minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer would help the patients and their caretakers to understand the treatment process. We aimed to assess the readability, quality and scientific content of patient-oriented information on minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer on the internet. Methods Internet search on “minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer”, “laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer” and “robotic surgery for colorectal cancer” was performed on search engines (Google, Yahoo! and Bing). Quality and readability were assessed by DISCERN instrument and validated Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) respectively. Results Fifty-five websites were analysed. The median DISCERN score was 41(range:24-66) and the median FRES score was 33.9(range:10.4-59.8) indicating low readability. Twenty-seven sites (49.1%) were affiliated with hospitals or clinics. Benefits of surgery and the surgical procedure were mentioned in 76.4% and 81.8% respectively. However, pre-op preparation, surgical complications, and quality of life were not mentioned in 49(82.1%), 42(76.4%) and 44(80%) sites respectively. Overall on DISCERN, 7(12.73%) were identified as “Excellent”, 25(45.45%) as “Good” or “Moderate” and 23(41.82%) as “Poor”. Conclusion Analysis of the quality and scientific content of patient information on MIS for CRC revealed a considerable deficiency in the information provided and sub-standard readability. Several aspects such as pre-op preparation, surgical complications and post-operative quality of life which are of concern to the patient were not discussed in a considerable proportion of articles. As the internet is expanding as a readily available source of information, steps should be taken to ensure the highest quality information.