Adjuvant regional chemotherapy after hepatic resection for colorectal metastases

This study explored the possibility of achieving a better survival rate and reduced recurrence in the remaining liver in patients with colorectal hepatic metastases undergoing hepatic resection. Adjuvant postoperative regional chemotherapy was administered via the hepatic artery or the portal vein.

A retrospective study was performed on 174 patients after hepatic resection for colorectal metastases. These comprised 78 patients who had hepatic artery infusion (HAI) chemotherapy (HAI group), 30 who had portal vein infusion (PVI) chemotherapy (PVI group) and 66 who had no regional chemotherapy (resection alone group). The three groups were compared with one another in terms of complications, survival rate and patterns of recurrence.

Severe complications did not occur at any point during adjuvant HAI or PVI chemotherapy. The 5-year disease-free survival rate of patients in the HAI, PVI and resection alone groups were 35, 13 and 9 per cent respectively, including six hospital deaths. Patients in the HAI group showed significantly improved recurrence rates in the remaining liver compared with the resection alone group (P = 0.03), and more prolonged disease-free and overall survival than those in the PVI (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02 respectively) and resection alone (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0006 respectively) groups.

This study suggests that adjuvant HAI chemotherapy after hepatic resection may have therapeutic potential for improved management of patients with colorectal metastases.