Objective: To compare the short-term efficacy of laparoscopic and open anterior resection for rectal cancer in patients with concomitant type 2 diabetes. Methods: The clinical data of 97 patients with concomitant type 2 diabetes undergoing anterior resection of rectal cancer at Chinese PLA General Hospital during past 2 years were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, 43 cases received laparoscopic surgery (laparoscopic group), and 54 cases were subjected to the traditional open surgery (open surgery group). The intra- and postoperative conditions between the two groups were compared. Results: Compared with open surgery group, the scenarios that included intraoperative blood loss, length of incision, time to flatus and food intake, and length of postoperative hospital stay were all significantly superior in laparoscopic group (all P<0.01). Moreover, the overall incidence of complications in laparoscopic group was lower than that in open surgery group (P=0.0479). There were no differences in operative time, number of dissected lymph nodes and number of patients requiring postoperative analgesia between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic anterior resection can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications in rectal cancer patients complicated with type 2 diabetes, so it is safe and feasible, and can be considered as the first-choice procedure for those patients.