Long-term survival following resection of colorectal hepatic metastases. Association Française de Chirurgie.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyse characteristics of patients who survived more than 5 years after liver resection of colorectal metastases.


METHODS
A multicentre retrospective study collected 1818 patients who underwent curative resection of hepatic metastases between 1959 and 1991. Among the 747 patients operated on before 1987, 102 survived longer than 5 years, and were compared with patients who survived less than 5 years.


RESULTS
Three risk factors proved independently significant in multivariate analysis between the two groups: serosa infiltration (P = 0.003), involvement of peritumoral lymph nodes around the primary colorectal tumour (P = 0.04), and a liver resection margin of less than 1 cm (P = 0.02). There was no significant difference for other parameters studied (location of primary tumour, location, number and size of metastases, type of resection). A trend towards a shorter survival of patients with increased carcinoembryonic antigen serum level was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Resection of colorectal hepatic metastases can provide long-term survival even in patients with poor prognostic factors. It seems justified to undertake resection of colorectal liver metastases whenever it may be performed safely as a curative treatment.
Jaeck
D
D
Centre de Chirurgie Viscérale et de Transplantation, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France.
Bachellier
P
P
Guiguet
M
M
Boudjema
K
K
Vaillant
J C
JC
Balladur
P
P
Nordlinger
B
B
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen