[Oncosurgical strategies for metastatic liver cancer]

Abstract

Patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) present a major public health challenge with approximately, 1,2 million cases of CRC occur yearly worldwide. Resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) is the only treatment offering the possibility of cure and has been shown to provide clear survival benefits. However, only 10 to 20% of patients with CRLM are eligible for this procedure upfront. During the last decade, major advances in the management of CRLM have taken place involving three fields: oncology, interventional radiology, and surgery. These advances have increased the resectability rate to 20-30% of cases with a 5-year survival of 35-50%. Neoadjuvant treatment with chemotherapeutic agents such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin, and hepatic artery infusion combined with systemic therapy and biologic agents (bevacizumab, cetuximab) play an important role in increasing the number of patients eligible to secondary resection. However, with the progressive use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy further studies are necessary to answer questions such as the risk: benefit ratio in maximizing response rates versus vascular changes in the liver (current opinion still divided concerning their importance). These questions remain challenging and should not be underestimated. In this review, we have described the current oncosurgical strategies employed in patients with resectable and non resectable CRLM, their benefits, and future treatment strategies.