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Liver Abscess After Liver Metastasectomy is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

Purpose

More and more complications of extensive hepatic resection are being encountered in patients treated for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. This study aimed to determine the impact of liver abscess after hepatic resection on overall survival (OS) and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 252 patients treated by liver metastasectomy between 2001 and 2010.

Results

The 5-year survival rate was 55.8%. Twenty-one (8.3%) patients developed liver abscess after liver metastasectomy. Multivariate analysis identified the size of liver metastasis, surgical margin, and the presence of liver abscess as significant prognostic factors. Patients (whether or not they developed liver abscess after hepatic resection) had similar progression-free survival (median, 9.8 vs. 12.4 months, P = 0.476), but patients who developed liver abscess had significantly shorter OS (26.6 vs. 76.0 months, P = 0.004). Subsequent adjuvant therapy significantly improved OS in these patients (16.9 vs. 38.5 months, P = 0.032).

Conclusions

Liver abscess after liver metastasectomy is an independent prognostic factor, and adjuvant chemotherapy is warranted in those patients who develop liver abscess.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Yen-Ning Hsu

  2. School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Yen-Ning Hsu

  3. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chia-Jen Liu, Chueh-Chuan Yen, Jin-Huang Liu, Cheng-Hwai Tzeng & Hao-Wei Teng

  4. Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital & National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Jen-Kou Lin, Wei-Shone Chen, Tzu-Chen Lin, Shung-Haur Yang, Jeng-Kai Jiang, Shih-Ching Chang, Yuan-Tzu Lan & Chun-Chi Lin

  5. School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chia-Jen Liu, Chueh-Chuan Yen, Jin-Huang Liu, Cheng-Hwai Tzeng & Hao-Wei Teng

  6. Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hao-Wei Teng

  7. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112, Taiwan

    Hao-Wei Teng

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  1. Yen-Ning Hsu
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  2. Chia-Jen Liu
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  14. Hao-Wei Teng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hao-Wei Teng.

Additional information

Yen-Ning Hsu and Chia-Jen Liu contribution equally.

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Hsu, YN., Liu, CJ., Lin, JK. et al. Liver Abscess After Liver Metastasectomy is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Colorectal Cancer. J Gastrointest Surg 15, 1798–1806 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-011-1642-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-011-1642-3

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