Diagnosis and treatment of liver metastases

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide and in Asia. The most frequent cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer is due to liver metastases. Liver metastases can be detected at the time of diagnosis of the primary tumor (synchronous liver metastases) or during the follow-up of a patient treated for a colorectal cancer (metachronous liver metastases). Early detection by imaging of colorectal liver metastases is needed since liver resection allows prolonged survival in a subset of patients with resectable liver metastases (10–15 % of patients with colorectal liver metastases). After resection, 5-year survival rate can approach 50 % of the patients. Recurrences after liver resection for colorectal occur in nearly half of the patient. Objectives in the future for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases should be to increase the resectability rate and to decrease the recurrence rate after curative liver resection. Multimodality treatment including combined strategy could lead to improve oncologic results of surgery for colorectal liver metastases.