title: Liver resection for breast cancer metastasis: does it improve survival?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the outcome and prognostic factors of liver surgery for breast cancer metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively examined 16 patients who underwent partial liver resection for breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM). All patients had been treated with chemotherapy or hormonotherapy, or both, before referral for surgery. We confirmed by preoperative radiological examinations that metastasis was confined to the liver. The survival curve was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to evaluate the role of the known factors of breast cancer survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the patients was 54 years (range 38-68) and the median disease-free interval between the diagnoses of breast cancer and liver metastasis was 54 months (range 7-120). Nine major and 7 minor hepatectomies were performed. There was no postoperative death. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 94%, 61%, and 33%, respectively. The median survival rate was 42 months. Univariate analysis revealed that hormone receptor status, number of metastases, a major hepatectomy, and a younger age were associated with a poorer prognosis. The survival rate was not influenced by the disease-free interval, grade or stage of breast cancer, or intraoperative blood transfusions. The number of liver metastases was identified as a significant independent factor of survival according to the Cox proportional hazard model (P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver resection, when done in combination with adjuvant therapy, can improve the prognosis of selected patients with BCLM.
authors: Department of Digestive Surgery, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France.
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Lubrano
authors: Horace
authors: H
authors: Roman
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Tarrab
authors: Benoit
authors: B
authors: Resch
authors: Loïc
authors: L
authors: Marpeau
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Scotté
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents