Does chemotherapy prior to liver resection increase the potential for cure in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer? A report from the European Colorectal Metastases Treatment Group.
Liver resection offers the only chance of cure for patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Typically, the 5-year survival rates following liver resection range from 25% to 40%. Unfortunately, approximately 85% of patients with stage IV CRC have liver disease which is considered unresectable at presentation. However, the rapid expansion in the use of improved combination therapy regimens has increased the percentage of patients eligible for potentially curative surgery. Despite this, the selection criteria for patients potentially suitable for resection are not well documented and patient management by multidisciplinary teams, although essential, is still evolving. The goal of the European Colorectal Metastases Treatment Group is to establish pan-European guidelines for the treatment of patients with CRC liver metastases that can be adopted more widely by established treatment centres and to develop more accurate staging systems and evaluation criteria.
Nordlinger
Bernard
B
Hôpital Ambroise Paré, CHU Paris Ouest, 92100 Boulogne Cedex, France.
Van Cutsem
Eric
E
Rougier
Philippe
P
Köhne
Claus-Henning
CH
Ychou
Marc
M
Sobrero
Alberto
A
Adam
Rene
R
Arvidsson
Dag
D
Carrato
Alfredo
A
Georgoulias
Vassilis
V
Giuliante
Felice
F
Glimelius
Bengt
B
Golling
Markus
M
Gruenberger
Thomas
T
Tabernero
Josep
J
Wasan
Harpreet
H
Poston
Graeme
G
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods