Liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma: incidence, resectability, and survival results

We studied 328 cases of colorectal carcinoma (stages I-IV) seen at our hospital during a 19-year period. We found that 15% of these had liver metastasis (LM) at initial diagnosis, and 14% developed LM after resection of their primary cancers. Among the 73 patients with LM, the lesion was confined to the liver (LM only) in 40 patients. Using our criteria of "resectability" of LM, 45% with LM only had resectable LM lesions, but only 15% (six patients) actually had hepatic resections. We had no operative death nor major complication. Five of the six patients with LM resected lived 3 years or longer, but none of the other 34 patients with LM only (either non-resectable or resectable but not operated on) lived more than 35 months. Although our series is relatively small, our data are consistent with results coming from other national and institutional studies. The controversies and issues relating to resection of colorectal liver metastasis are discussed.