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Effectiveness of surgery in liver metastasis from colorectal cancer: experience and results of a continuous improvement process

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of surgery in liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

Methods

We conducted a prospective and observational study of patients with colorectal liver metastasis operated on at the San Cecilio University Hospital of Granada from March 2003 until June 2013. The primary variables of the result were survival and morbidity before 30 days of the post-operative period. We also measured preoperative and surgical variables.

Results

A total of 147 patients with liver metastasis of colorectal origin underwent surgical removal during the period of study, 38 of whom had repeat surgery. 34 had a second resection, 3 had a third one and one only patient had a fourth one, for a total of 185 registered operations. The global 5-year survival rate was 38 and 17 % after 10 years. There were 115 patients who had neither radiofrequency nor exploratory laparotomy, 38 % of them survived over 60 months. The average disease-free time was 23.6 months ± 47.3, with significant differences observed between types of procedures. Patients that were operated on just once (n = 25) had a five-year actuarial survival rate of 35 %, a morbidity rate of 24 % and a mortality rate of 0.6 % (1 patient only). The average hospital stay was 13.8 days and the disease-free time was 15.8 months.

Conclusion

The results obtained in our surgical unit in terms of morbidity, mortality and five-year actuarial survival rates are comparable to those of other units at large institutions, which are currently considered the standards of quality.

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Acknowledgments

To all members of the Department of General Surgery, past and present, who have worked in surgery and postoperative care of patients with liver metastases.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Av de Madrid, 11, 18012, Granada, Spain

    F. Navarro-Freire & B. Pérez-Cabrera

  2. Department of Radiology, Hospital of S. Lucía, C/Mezquita, S/n, Paraje Los Arcos, 30202, Santa Lucía, Cartagena (Murcia), Spain

    P. Navarro-Sánchez

  3. Chair of Health Economics and Rational Use of Drugs, School of Medicine, University of Málaga, Boulevard Louis Pasteur, 32, 29071, Málaga, Spain

    N. García-Agua & A. J. García-Ruiz

  4. Department of General Surgery and Digestive, University Hospital S. Cecilio, C/Doctor Oloriz, 1, 18012, Granada, Spain

    A. Palomeque-Jiménez & J. A. Jiménez-Rios

  5. Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, C/Doctor Severo Ochoa, 18001, Granada, Spain

    P. A. García-López

Authors
  1. F. Navarro-Freire
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  2. P. Navarro-Sánchez
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  4. B. Pérez-Cabrera
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  7. P. A. García-López
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  8. A. J. García-Ruiz
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Correspondence to F. Navarro-Freire.

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Navarro-Freire, F., Navarro-Sánchez, P., García-Agua, N. et al. Effectiveness of surgery in liver metastasis from colorectal cancer: experience and results of a continuous improvement process. Clin Transl Oncol 17, 547–556 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-015-1277-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-015-1277-z

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