Liver metastases from colorectal cancer: technique of liver resection

Liver resection has become standard for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC): anterior approach, hanging manoeuvre, or total vascular exclusion techniques as well as 3-dimensional imaging enable safe resections even in difficult cases. Furthermore, modern chemotherapy, portal vein embolization/ligation, and two-stage procedures increase the resectability of metastasis, and repeat resections are feasible for recurrence. In addition to characteristics of the primary, CEA, extent of metastasis, resection margins, and extrahepatic disease, hilar lymph node metastases appear prognostic.