Does liver resection provide long-term survival benefits for breast cancer patients with liver metastasis? A single hospital experience.
OBJECTIVE
Liver resection with colorectal liver metastasis widely accepted and has been considered safe and effective therapeutic option. However, the role of liver resection in breast cancer with liver metastasis is still controversial. Therefore, we reviewed the outcome of liver resection in breast cancer patients with liver metastases in a single hospital experiences.


METHODS
Between January 1991 and December 2006, 2176 patients underwent breast cancer surgery in Gangnam Severance Hospital. Among these patients, 110 cases of liver metastases were observed during follow-up and 13 of these patients received liver resection with potential feasibility to achieve an R0 resection.


RESULTS
The median time interval between initial breast cancer and detection of liver metastasis was 62.5 months (range, 13-121 months). The 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates of the 13 patients with liver resection were 83.1% and 49.2%, respectively. The 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates of patients without extrahepatic metastasis were 83.3% and 66.7% and those of patients with extrahepatic metastasis were 80.0% and 0.0%, respectively (p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Liver resection for metastatic breast cancer results in improved patient survival, particularly in patients with solitary liver metastasis and good general condition.
Pancreaticobiliary Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jee Ye
JY
Kim
Pancreaticobiliary Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Joon Seong
JS
Park
Department of Surgery, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seung Ah
SA
Lee
Pancreaticobiliary Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Keun
JK
Kim
Breast Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Joon
J
Jeong
Pancreaticobiliary Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Dong Sup
DS
Yoon
Breast Cancer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hy-De
HD
Lee
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
Breast cancer; liver metastasis; liver resection; prognos