title: Resection of 'recurrent' colorectal metastases to the liver.
abstract: Hepatic resection is the only treatment for patients with colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver that has resulted in long-term survival. This apparent efficacy of hepatectomy has prompted efforts to expand the surgical approach for disease progression within the liver. A review of personal experience and of the literature was performed in an attempt to define the role of surgery for disease progression. Twenty-one patients who underwent hepatic resection between 1983 and 1991 for isolated disease progression in the liver were retrospectively reviewed. The median follow-up of patients still alive was 1.7 years (range 4 months to 4.5 years). The median survival from the date of repeat hepatic resection was 3.4 years with an estimated actuarial survival rate of 43 per cent at 4 years. These patients experienced no significant morbidity and the mortality rate was 5 per cent. Hepatic resection of metastatic colorectal carcinoma can produce long-term survival without prohibitive risk. These findings support an aggressive surgical approach for metastatic progression in the liver from colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Que
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Nagorney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012086:Reoperation / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis