Five-year survival after resection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer in patients screened by positron emission tomography with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET).
OBJECTIVE
To report the first 5-year overall survival results in patients with colorectal carcinoma metastatic to the liver who have undergone hepatic resection after staging with [18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).


BACKGROUND
The 5-year overall survival after hepatic resection for colorectal cancer metastases without preoperative FDG-PET has been established in 19 studies (6070 patients). The median 5-year overall survival rate in these studies is 30% and has not improved over time. FDG-PET detects unsuspected tumor in 25% of patients considered to have resectable hepatic metastasis by conventional staging.


METHODS
From March 1995 to June 2002, all patients having hepatic resection for colorectal cancer metastases had preoperative FDG-PET. A prospective database was maintained.


RESULTS
One hundred patients (56 men, 44 women) were studied. Metastases were synchronous in 52, single in 63, unilateral in 78, and <5 cm in diameter in 60. Resections were major (>3 segments) in 75 and resection margins were > or = 1 cm in 52. Median follow up was 31 months, with 12 actual greater than 5-year survivors. There was 1 postoperative death. The actuarial 5-year overall survival was 58% (95% confidence interval, 46-72%). Primary tumor grade was the only prognostic variable significantly correlated with overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening by FDG-PET is associated with excellent postresection 5-year overall survival for patients undergoing resection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. FDG-PET appears to define a new cohort of patients in whom tumor grade is a very important prognostic variable.
Fernandez
Felix G
FG
Section of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Drebin
Jeffrey A
JA
Linehan
David C
DC
Dehdashti
Farrokh
F
Siegel
Barry A
BA
Strasberg
Steven M
SM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18