Neoadjuvant therapy of colorectal liver metastases: lessons learned from clinical trials.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly used to improve outcome in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM). In patients with unresectable CLM, recent clinical trials evaluate the ability of chemotherapy to increase the resectability rate. In patients with resectable CLM, the objective is to decrease the risk of recurrence after hepatectomy that still remains elevated despite the improvement of the surgical technique. A multidisciplinary approach of patients with CLM is desirable whatever the initial status of resectability.