[Resection of liver metastasis of colo-rectal cancer]

Surgical resection currently represents the only available approach to improve the survival rate of patients with liver metastases from carcinoma of colon and rectum. The mean 5-year survival rate in patients treated with liver resection is 25% (with a range from 16 to 45%). Despite the lack of safe criteria for selection of patients with liver metastases, the following factors can give indications to surgical resection: evidence of single or multiple, but unilobar, metastases; lack of hepatic hilum metastases; easy approach; satisfactory liver function after resection; staging and grading of primary tumor, timing between resection of primary tumor and diagnosis of liver metastases; safe margin of liver resection (10 mm) from metastatic lesions. To improve the surgical treatment of liver metastases from colo-rectal cancer, larger series of patients and aggressive surgical approach are needed, with mortality rates acceptable for long-term better results.