Objective: This study aimed to discuss the short-term therapeutic effects of laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy with new adjuvant radiochemotherapy on rectal carcinoma in the progressive stage. Methods: A total of 120 patients with rectal carcinoma in our hospital from May 2014 to February 2016 were selected and categorized into the control group (n=60) and treatment group (n=60) by random number table method. All respondents were simultaneously treated by new adjuvant radiochemotherapy. The control group was treated by laparotomy, whereas the treatment group received laparoscopic surgery. Operation mode, intraoperative conditions, post-operative rehabilitation effect, and occurrence rate of complications in the near future were compared between the two groups. Results: No significant difference of operation mode (e.g., Dixon operation, Miles operation, and Hartmann operation) was observed between the treatment group and control group (P>0.05). The operation time of the control group was shorter than that of the treatment group, but the intraoperative blood loss of the treatment group was far higher (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of cases of intraoperative blood transfusion, remote cutting marginal distance of Dixon operation, number of assessable lymph glands, number of lymphoma transfer, and cases of terminal ileum fistulization of Dixon operation (P>0.05). The time of exhaustion, time of defecation, and time of feeding after operation and Length of Stay (LOS) of the treatment group were shorter than that of the control group (P<0.05). The control group and treatment group presented no statistically significant difference in view of the occurrence rate of post-operative complications (P<0.05). Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery combined with new adjuvant radiochemotherapy has outstanding therapeutic effect on rectal carcinoma in the progressive stage and high safety. It can be promoted as the first clinical therapy for rectal carcinoma in the progressive stage.