Factors affecting the prognosis of anatomical liver resection for liver metastases from colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Liver resection has improved the survival of colorectal cancer patients with metastases. However, there are groups at high risk of recurrence after liver resection. This report reviews our results using anatomical liver resection and analyzes the prognostic factors.


METHODS
We analyzed 78 patients who underwent anatomical liver resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer between June 1988 and March 2002.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients had synchronous metastases, and 49 had metachronous. The 5-year overall survival rate was 43%. Patients with more than three metastatic tumors had a significantly poorer 5-year recurrence-free survival rate. There was no statistical difference in the 5-year overall survival rate between patients with metachronous metastases (41%) and those with synchronous (44%) metastases. The 5-year overall survival rate was significantly poorer for patients with an interval of 1 year or less between colorectal and liver resections than for patients with a longer interval. Recurrence after liver resection occurred in 38 patients (49%). The recurrences occurred in the lung in 18 patients, in remnant liver in 15 patients, in lymph nodes in 7 patients, and in other organs in 6 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that anatomical liver resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer improves survival. Liver metastases that occur within 1 year of colorectal resection may need an interval of observation before liver resection.
Tomizawa
Naoki
N
Department of Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi Red Cross Hospital, Japan.
Ohwada
Susumu
S
Ogawa
Tetsushi
T
Tanahashi
Yoshifumi
Y
Koyama
Toru
T
Hamada
Kunihiro
K
Kawate
Susumu
S
Sunose
Yutaka
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate