[Treatment strategy for synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer]

The patients with synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer might get long-term survival after liver resection. But the optimal timing of surgery is undefined. This study was to explore the treatment strategy for synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

From 1995 to 2005, 83 patients with synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer were treated with operation at Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital. Of the 83 patients, 37 received simultaneous liver and colorectal resection, and 46 received staged resection. The occurrence rate of postoperative complications, mortality, blood loss, hospital duration, overall survival rate, median survival time, disease-free survival time and recurrence rate of the 2 groups were compared.

The occurrence rates of postoperative complications were 24.3% in simultaneous resection group and 19.6% in staged resection group (P=0.601). No operation-related death occurred. The mean blood losses were 462 mL in simultaneous resection group and 574 mL in staged resection group (P=0.312). The mean hospital duration was 19 days in simultaneous resection group and 36 days in staged resection group (P=0.001). The 1-, 3-and 5-year overall survival rates were 86.5%, 54.1%, and 27.0%, respectively, in simultaneous resection group and 89.1%, 52.2%, and 23.9%, respectively, in staged resection group (P>0.05). The median survival time was 40 months in simultaneous resection group and 37 months in staged resection group (P=0.075)û the median disease-free survival time was 12 and 11 months, respectively (P=0.532). The recurrence rates were 35.1% in simultaneous resection group and 30.4% in staged resection group (P=0.650).

Synchronous liver and colorectal resection is preferred for synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.