A case of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer in a long-term survivor undergoing local combined modality therapy for repeated local recurrences]

Herein, we report of a long-term survivor who underwent local combined modality therapy for local hepatic recurrences detected 10 years after initial surgery for colorectal cancer and 7 years after metachronous liver metastasis. In the third year after surgery for colorectal cancer, a solitary liver metastasis was detected, and curative surgical resection was performed. However, because local recurrence developed 3 years later, curative resection was repeated. When local recurrence developed again 1.5 years later, the patient declined surgery and systemic chemotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation was performed. However, because of the development of another local recurrence 6 months later, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was initiated. This therapy has been continued for 1.5 years to date, with successful local disease control and no adverse events. Although surgical resection is the first choice for resectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer, thermocoagulation and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy can also be valid options for patients who are inoperable or refuse surgery as well as for those who are not suitable for or refuse systemic chemotherapy. Notwithstanding, the guidelines for the treatment of colorectal cancer (2014 edition) now include the following statement: thermocoagulation is not recommended as an alternative to surgical resection. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy appears to be a promising treatment strategy associated with antitumor effects with few adverse events. It is also relatively less expensive than systemic chemotherapy.