Objective To study the safety and feasibility of modified laparoscopic Dixon surgery for rectal cancer. Methods In the procedure of modified laparoscopic Dixon surgery, the rectum with tumor was pulled out and cut and colon-rectum anastomosis was performed through anus. The clinical data of patients with rectal cancer between modified laparoscopic Dixon surgery (laparoscopy group) and open Dixon surgery (open group) were compared and analysed prospectively. The clinical data included operative time, volume of bleeding, number of lymph node dissection, volume of abdominal drainage, time to bowel gas passage, hospital stay and relative complications, such as anastomotic leakage, ureteral injury, dysuria and fecal incontinence. Results Fifty-eight cases were selected in this study between September 2007 and July 2008, including 25 laparoscopic surgery in laparoscopy group and 33 open surgery in open group. Patient’s data on gender, age, distance between tumor and anus edge, tumor diameter, tumor pathologic type and Dukes stage were similar between two groups by statistic analysis (Pgt;0.05). All the operations were performed successfully. Two cases experienced anastomotic leakage in laparoscopy group, while 1 case experienced anastomotic leakage in open group. All these patients got recovered by conservative treatment at last. No other complications were experienced, such as ureteral injury, dysuria, fecal incontinence, and so on. There were no significant differences in term of operative time, volume of bleeding and number of lymph node dissection between two groups (Pgt;0.05). The volume of abdominal drainage was less while the time to bowel gas passage and hospital stay were shorter in laparoscopy group than those in open group (P＜0.05). Conclusion This study reveals that it is safe and feasible to perform modified laparoscopic Dixon surgery for rectal cancer, and it presents the character of minimal invasion.