[Surgical treatment of liver metastases from breast cancer]

A small number of patients with breast cancer develop liver metastases (LM) as the sole site of regional dissemination. In these patients, surgical resection seems to be the best therapeutic option. We present our experience of LM from breast cancer and discuss the indications for resection.

Between July 2003 and March 2005, we performed five hepatectomies for LM from breast cancer. The mean age was 51 years (range: 38-66). Patients received diverse combinations of chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiotherapy after mastectomy. The disease-free interval between mastectomy and diagnosis of LM was 61 months (range: 36-80). The number of LM was 1.83 (range: 1-6) with a median of one LM. The mean size was 4.1 cm (range: 1.5-6).

Surgery consisted of segmentectomy (three patients), bisegmentectomy (one patient), right hepatectomy associated with isolated metasectomies of the left lobe and hilar lymphadenectomy (one patient). Operative mortality was 0%. Morbidity was 20% (one patient). The mean length of hospital stay was 8 days. The mean length of follow-up was 11.4 months (range: 3-21). The mean survival was 11.4 months (range: 3-21). Disease-free survival was 9.6 months (range: 3-21). Two patients have had recurrence (one local and one regional).

Given its characteristics, LM from breast cancer is an infrequent indication for liver resection and should be performed whenever technically feasible, whenever R0 resection can be achieved, and when there is low operative risk. Postoperative survival is better with resection than with any other therapeutic modality, even though the period of disease-free survival is short.