Partial hepatic resection for liver metastases of non-colorectal origin, is it justified?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The liver is a common site of metastases for many solid tumors. Resection of noncolorectal liver metastases is controversial. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate partial liver resection as a treatment option for non-colorectal liver metastases.

METHODOLOGY

During a 20-year period, 480 patients underwent partial liver resection. Thirty-two patients (17 male, 15 female, median age 55 years) who received partial liver resection for noncolorectal liver metastases were identified. A detailed analysis of these patients was conducted.

RESULTS

Primary tumors were: medullary thyroid cancer (n=3), Grawitz tumor (n=2), breast carcinoma (n=2), stomach carcinoma (n=2), neuroendocrine carcinoma (n=10), unknown primary origin (n=9) and various other carcinomas (n=4). Operative morbidity and mortality for partial liver resection were 28 and 6%, respectively. The median overall survival time was 37 months, with an actuarial 5-year survival of 42%. Actuarial 5-year survival rates for patients with neuroendocrine and the non-neuroendocrine carcinomas were 22 and 52% respectively (NS). Median survival for patients with carcinoma of unknown primary origin was 43 months with an actual 5-year survival of 44%.

CONCLUSIONS

Partial liver resection for liver metastases of non-colorectal primaries can be performed safely and has survival rates comparable to that of colorectal metastases in carefully selected cases and should therefore be considered.