Abstract
Surgical resection remains the only treatment that leads to long-term survival and occasionally cure in patients with colorectal or other metastases of the liver. Five-year survival rates after resection of hepatic colorectal metastases are 30% to 40%. Because of this, a surgeon experienced in hepatic resections should always be consulted to evaluate patients with hepatic colorectal metastases. In recent years, the indications for resection have been extended, and the only absolute contraindications for resection of hepatic colorectal metastases are extrahepatic disease and an anticipated incomplete resection. Complex and extended resection can now be performed using novel techniques such as radiofrequency ablation and portal vein embolization as adjuncts to resection. It is anticipated that the goal of complete resection and ablation with negative margins will be achieved in an increasing number of patients using these combined approaches and novel chemotherapy agents (irinotecan and oxaliplatin). In patients who have undergone liver resection, close follow-up is important because repeat hepatic resection remains an option in selected patients.
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Vauthey, JN. (2005). Metastatic Cancer of the Liver. In: Ajani, J.A., Lynch, P.M., Janjan, N.A., Curley, S.A. (eds) Gastrointestinal Cancer. M. D. Anderson Cancer Care Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27285-2_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27285-2_11
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