It is commonly believed that treatment of colon cancer by surgical resection is a standardised approach. A review of the literature, however, shows differences in the extent of colon resection among the various different centres. Reported results are provided almost entirely by retrospective studies. In the absence of prospective randomised studies the ideal extent of colon and lymphatic resection in the curative treatment of colon cancer has not yet to be defined. The aim of this review was to examine the anatomical, physiological and clinical assumptions on which colon resections are habitually based.