Analysis of survival and clinicopathological characteristics in patients after liver resection for colorectal liver metastases according to resection margin

Abstract

Background: Criteria for resectability of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) have been expanded over the last decade along with the improvement in chemotherapy. Objective: Analyze the differences in several clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS) between patients who underwent an R0 (tumour margin > 1 mm) or R1 (margin < 1 mm) resection. Method: Retrospective study including 144 patients with CRLM who underwent a potentially curative liver surgery between 2010 and 2018. Patients are classified according to their surgical margin status (R0 or R1). OS and 17 clinicopathological variables are compared. Results: Both groups are similar and comparable in all the studied variables: age (p = 0.158), sex (p = 0.675), ASA (p = 0.502), tumour location (p = 0.793), tumoral stadium (p = 0.280), post-colectomy chemotherapy (p = 0.664), CRLM synchronicity (p = 0.983) and location (p = 0.078), CEA at diagnosis (p = 0.735), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.403), minor/major hepatectomy (p = 0.415), post-operatory complications (p = 0.822) and mortality (p = 0.535), average hospital stay (p = 0.960), post-operative chemotherapy (p = 0.791) and re-hepatectomy (p = 0.530). No significant differences are found in OS a 1, 3 and 5 years (p = 0.160) between patients with R0 and R1 resection. Conclusions: We consider indicated hepatectomy in any patient with resectable CRLM in whom an R0 resection can be achieved maintaining an adequate hepatic reserve, regardless of the final microscopic resection margin status.