title: Colorectal cancer: the natural history of disseminated disease - a review.
abstract: The natural history of disseminated colorectal cancer has been reviewed with reference to its dissemination to the liver. The overall median survival rate of patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal primary cancer has been shown to vary from three to 11 months, with an average median survival of 7 months. Many patients survive for three years and some patients for more than ten years without any specific treatment. This may therefore form a basis for comparison of uncontrolled reports of prolongation of survival due to treatment.
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*