What factors influence survival in patients with unresected synchronous liver metastases after resection of colorectal cancer?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether the survival of patients with untreated synchronous liver metastases after resection of a colorectal cancer was associated with any features of the primary tumour.


METHODS
Information for 398 consecutive patients with unresected liver metastases in the period 1971-2001 was examined by multivariate survival analysis.


RESULTS
Of 19 clinical and pathological variables considered, survival was independently associated only with residual tumour in a line of resection (hazard ratio (HR) 1.95), venous invasion (HR 1.87), right colonic tumour (HR 1.68), lymph node metastasis (HR 1.54), and extra-hepatic metastasis (HR 1.16); 8.3% of patients had none of these adverse features. Their 2-year overall survival rate was 39.2%, compared with only 16.5% (P < 0.001) in those with one or more adverse features.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings may assist in selecting patients most likely to benefit from treatment of hepatic metastases and in counselling patients and their relatives.
Chafai
N
N
Department of Colorectal Surgery, Concord Hospital and The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Chan
C L H
CL
Bokey
E L
EL
Dent
O F
OF
Sinclair
G
G
Chapuis
P H
PH
D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis