Hepatic resection following systemic chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal carcinoma

Increasingly effective systemic chemotherapy has improved responses in patients with previously unresectable colorectal hepatic metastases. In the future, response to chemotherapy may define a new population of patients that may benefit from hepatic resection. A retrospective review to determine the safety and effectiveness of potentially curative hepatic resection of metastatic colorectal carcinoma after systemic chemotherapy identified 11 such patients with resections between July 1987 and October 1991. Five patients had unresectable disease confined to the liver, two had hepatic and limited extrahepatic metastases, two had hepatic recurrences after previous hepatic metastasectomy, and two had initially resectable liver metastases. These patients were resected after a mean of 8 months of systemic chemotherapy. Complications, usually minor, occurred in five patients (45%). There were no deaths. Three patients are disease free at 15, 18, and 31 months (mean 21) after hepatic resection. Eight patients have recurred with a median time to recurrence of 8 months. Five patients have subsequently died of recurrent disease. This study suggests that hepatic resection following systemic chemotherapy can be performed safely and may benefit selected patients.