title: Outcome and natural history of patients with stage IV colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy without primary tumor resection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a trend toward nonsurgical management of patients with nonobstructing metastatic (stage IV) colorectal cancer (CRC), although some will eventually undergo surgery. We examined patients with metastatic CRC who were managed with an intact primary tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  An institutional review board (IRB)-approved database was retrospectively reviewed. All patients presenting with stage IV CRC from 2000 to 2008 were identified and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 255 patients identified, 112 were taken directly to the operating room for either primary tumor resection or colostomy/bypass. Among the remaining 143 patients, 97 were managed without developing primary tumor-related symptoms, and 14 (9.8%) developed significant primary tumor-related symptoms necessitating operative or endoscopic management. Of the patients who developed symptoms, oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan was used among 71.4% of patients, and bevacizumab in 50%. Forty-two patients in the series underwent elective primary tumor resection after receiving chemotherapy. No independent predictors for development of primary tumor-related symptoms could be identified after controlling for age, gender, tumor location, number of metastatic sites, and type of chemotherapy. Median overall survival was 34 months for those who underwent elective primary tumor resection after chemotherapy, and 16 months for those who failed chemotherapy and developed symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients with metastatic CRC without an initial indication for surgery, incidence of obstruction or perforation after initiating chemotherapy was low (9.8%). No predictors of primary tumor-related complications could be identified. Survival was favorable among the highly selected cohort of patients who underwent elective primary tumor resection after chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. jnitzkor@health-quest.org
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nitzkorski
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Farma
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Veeraiah
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siripurapu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ronald S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Matteotti
authors.forename: Elin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Sigurdson
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000077146:Irinotecan; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin