Hepatic Resection of Metastases from Colorectal Cancers

Abstract

Between 1978 and 1989, a total of 147 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer received hepatic resection. Excluding 5 patients with noncurative resection of primary tumors, 15 with extrahepatic metastases, 7 with residual tumors in the liver and 14 with positive surgical margin, 106 underwent “curative” hepatic resection. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates (Kaplan-Meier) for 104, excluding two hospital deaths, were 59.9% and 38.8%, respectively. Metachronous metastases, negative lymphnode metastases of the primary tumors and metastases in the left lobe were favorable indicaters of prognosis. Recurrent diseases developed in 52; in the residual liver in 30 and in the lung in 14. The only contraindication to surgery was considered to be the impossibility of a radical removal of tumors. The presence of extrahepatic metastases could be a relative contraindication, but if the extrahepatic diseases can be controlled, hepatic resection might be indicated. We prefer limited resection with more than a 1 cm surgical margin. © 1991, The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery. All rights reserved.