 During the recruitment period Jan 1998 to March 2005 601 patients were recruited into the ALCCaS Trial. There have been 37 surgeons involved in recruiting patients at 20 hospitals within Australia and New Zealand. All surgeons participating in the ALCCaS trial are accredited in laparoscopic surgical techniques. To gain accreditation, a surgeon must have carried out no less than 20 supervised colon resections and must provide video evidence of two laparoscopic colonic resections for review. Surgeons from throughout Australia and New Zealand are participating in this study. The Research Ethics Committees at a variety of hospitals throughout New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand have approved the study. 