Abstract
Background: With modern multimodality therapy, patients with resected colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastases (CLM) can experience up to 50-60 % 5-year survival. These improved outcomes have become more commonplace via achievements in multidisciplinary care, improved definition of resectability, and advances in technical skill. Discussion: Even patients with synchronous and/or extensive bilateral disease have benefited from novel surgical strategies. Treatment sequencing of synchronous CRC with CLM can be simplified into the following three paradigms: (classic colorectal-first), simultaneous (combined), or reverse approach (liver-first). The decision of whether to treat the CLM or CRC first depends on which site dominates oncologically and symptomatically. Oxaliplatin with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOX) and irinotecan with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFIRI) are the foundations of modern chemotherapy. Although each regimen has positively impacted survivals, both have the potential for negative effects on the non-tumor liver. Oxaliplatin is associated with vascular injury (sinusoidal ballooning, microvascular injury, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, and long-term fibrosis) but not steatosis. Irinotecan has been associated with steatohepatitis, especially in patients with obesity and diabetes. Steatohepatitis from irinotecan is the only chemotherapy-associated liver injury (CALI) associated with increased mortality from postoperative hepatic insufficiency. Extended duration of preoperative chemotherapy is also associated with CALI. Conclusions: To determine resectability and to prevent overtreatment with systemic therapy, all patients should receive high-quality cross-sectional imaging and be evaluated by a hepatobiliary surgeon before starting chemotherapy. Even as chemotherapy improves, liver surgeons will continue to play a central role in treatment planning by offering the best chance for prolonged survival-safe R0 resection with curative intent.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 195-202 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2013 |
Keywords
- Chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy-associated liver injury
- Colon cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Hepatectomy
- Irinotecan
- Liver metastases
- Liver resection
- Metachronous
- Oxaliplatin
- Rectal cancer
- Reverse approach
- Synchronous
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
- Gastroenterology