Surgery for liver metastases from breast cancer

Liver metastases develop in approximately half of women with metastatic breast cancer, and are typically associated with metastases at other sites, indicating advanced disease and poor prognosis. Whenever possible, hormonal therapy should be administered, until resistance develops. Several series in the literature have reported a poor effect of chemotherapy alone in patients with metastatic breast cancer, therefore liver surgery could be considered as an adjuvant treatment to systemic therapy in highly selected patients. This study looked at recent case series in the literature, and analysed prognostic factors and indications for surgery.