[Treatment of colorectal cancer--hepatic metastases]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the local therapy for colorectal liver metastases on overall survival. Seventy-two patients who had resected liver metastases from colorectal cancer during the period from 1982 to 2001 were evaluated for survival. There was no significant difference in overall survival by either surgical method for colorectal liver metastases or postoperative arterial infusion chemotherapy. However, the 5-year survival rate of resected metachronous liver metastases with postoperative arterial infusion chemotherapy was 44.9%, and that for patients with no extra hepatic metastases was 57.4%. Patients who have metachronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer should therefore be considered for postoperative arterial infusion chemotherapy. It is necessary to improve the outcome for cases that have extra hepatic metastases.