[Hepatic lymph-node involvement in patients with synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer-a correlation with the grading system for liver metastasis]

This retrospective study was performed to clarify the frequency and clinical significance of hepatic lymph-node metastasis in patients with synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer, in relation to the grading system of liver metastasis classified by the 7th Edition of General Rules for Clinical and Pathological Studies on Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus. Hepatic lymph-node metastasis was histologically examined in 61 patients with synchronous liver metastasis whose primary lesion was resected. The incidence of hepatic lymph-node metastasis for all patients was 26%. The frequency was 8% in Grade A (n=13), 20% in Grade B (n=15), and 36% in Grade C (n=33) (p=0.09). Among patients classified in Grade A/Grade B, the patients with hepatic lymph-node metastasis showed a shorter survival time than those without metastasis (p<0.01). Among patients in Grade C, there was no significant difference in survival times between the patients with hepatic lymph-node metastasis and those without metastasis (p=0.59). In conclusion, the incidence of hepatic lymph-node metastasis should be considered regardless of the Grade of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.