[Prognostic factors following liver resection for hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of prognostic factors on survival of patients with metastases from colorectal cancer that underwent liver resection.


METHODS
The records of 28 patients that underwent liver resection for metastases from colorectal cancer between April 1992 and September 2001 were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-eight resections were performed (more than one resection in eight patients and two patients underwent re-resections). The primary tumor was resected in all the patients. A screening protocol for liver metastases including clinical examinations every three months, ultrassonography and CEA level until 5 years of follow-up and after every 6 months, was applied. The prognostic factors analyzed regarding the impact on survival were: Dukes C stage of primary tumor, size of metastasis >5 cm, a disease-free interval from primary tumor to metastasis < 1 year, CEA level > 100 ng/mL, resection margins < 1 cm and extrahepatic disease. The Kaplan-Meier curves, log rank and Cox regression were used for the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Perioperative morbidity and mortality were 39.3% and 3.6%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 35%. The independent prognostic factors were: disease-free interval from primary tumor to metastasis < 1 year and extrahepatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The liver resection for metastases from colorectal cancer is a safe procedure with more than 30% 5-year survival. Disease-free interval from primary tumor to metastasis < 1 year and extrahepatic disease were independent prognostic factors.
Chedid
Aljamir Duarte
AD
Serviço de Cirurgia, Hospital Ernesto Dornelles, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. marcioch@terra.com.br
Villwock
Maitê de Mello
Mde M
Chedid
Marcio Fernandes
MF
Rohde
Luiz
L
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis