Resection of colorectal liver metastases: analysis of risk factors

to analyze the survival after surgery to resect liver metastases from colorectal cancer, and to investigate the influence of 15 potentially prognostic factors on survival.

this retrospective study included all patients diagnosed as having colorectal cancer who were operated on with curative intent (without no evidence of tumor after surgery) during the 10-year period from 1988 to 1998. Survival analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the prognostic value of each factor was determined with the log-rank test. Of the 60 surgical patients we studied, 58 survived the postoperative period (< 30 days). We analyzed their epidemiological, histological and chronopathological characteristics, tumor markers, and type of resection.

mean survival was 33. 06 +/- 3.2 months, and ranged from 2 to 108 months. Survival at 1, 3 and 5 years was 90.1%, 48.9% and 28.9% respectively. None of the 15 prognostic factors studied was significantly related with survival (p < 0.05).

surgical treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer is a safe option and offers good survival rates. The potentially prognostic factors studied here do not allow us to identify those patients who might benefit most from this procedure.