The long-term results of hepatic resection for metastatic lesions from colorectal cancer]

We reviewed the clinical course of 51 patients who underwent hepatic resection for metastatic lesions from colorectal cancer between January 1984 and December 1997. The cumulative survival rate at 3 and 5 years were 57% and 43%, respectively. Sex, age, chronology of liver metastases (LM), number of LM, maximum diameter of LM, macroscopic surgical resection margin, type of hepatic resection, chemotherapy after hepatic resection, and site of primary tumor were not found to be statistically significant prognostic factors. The presence of lymph node metastases for the primary tumor was a predictor of shorter survival duration by univariate analysis (p=0.03). Recurrence was not observed in 15 patients. However, recurrence was observed in 36 patients, of which 4 were in remission by undergoing repeated resection for recurrence sites (2 were in lung, 2 were in liver). Although the long term survival of the 19 patients with no significant remarks to be noted, but no one survived with more than 4 hepatic metastases among the long term survivors.