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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Application of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy Combined with Intraoperative Microwave Ablation in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis
Published on: March 3, 2023
Multimodal treatment options for bilobar colorectal liver metastases
Kia Homayounfar1, Torsten Liersch, Martin Niessner
1Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University Medical Centre, Georg-August University Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37073, Goettingen, Germany. khomayounfar@chirurgie-goettingen.de
Purpose:
We evaluated individualized multimodal oncological strategies in patients with bilobular colorectal liver metastases (biCRC-LM) as well as their effect on R0 resection rates, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).
Methods:
Between January 2001 and December 2008, 64 patients were assigned to straightforward or two-stage liver resection +/- preoperative 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy (CTx). Postoperative strategy after R0-resection was either "wait and see" or "adjuvant" therapy (3 cycles of CTx or anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-radioimmunotherapy with (131)I-labetuzumab in a dose of 40-50 mCi/m(2)).
Results:
Forty-three initially unresectable patients received preoperative CTx for downsizing of their biCRC-LM. Straightforward or two-stage liver resection was intended in 40 and 24 patients, respectively. Histopathologically confirmed R0-liver resection could be achieved in 47 patients. Surgical morbidity and mortality rates were 33% and 1.5%, respectively. Postoperatively, 26 patients received anti-cancer therapy (5 x CTx, 21 x anti-CEA-radioimmunotherapy). After R0-liver resection, median OS was significantly better compared to R1/R2 resections followed by palliative 5FU-CTx (38 versus 19 months, p = 0.035). There was no significant difference in DFS (p = 0.650) and OS (p = 0.435) between straightforward and two-stage liver resection. Compared to "wait and see" strategy, the application of postoperative therapy in adjuvant intent was associated with a better OS (p = 0.048).
Conclusion:
Extensive liver resection within multimodal treatment concepts is justified in patients with biCRC-LM when complete resection of all metastases seems to be achievable.
