Clinical applications of radio-frequency ablation in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term survival and prognostic factors for radio-frequency ablation (RFA) in colorectal liver metastases.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 35 colorectal liver metastases patients who underwent RFA between 2004 and 2008. We analyzed survival after RFA and prognostic factors for survival.

RESULTS

Of the 35 patients, 23 patients were male and 12 were female. Their mean age was 62.40 ± 12.52 years. Mean overall survival was 38.8 ± 4.6 months, and mean progression free survival was 19.9 ± 3.4 months. Three- and 5-year overall survival rates were 42.7 ± 0.1% and 26.0 ± 0.1%, respectively. Three- and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 19.6 ± 0.1% and 4.9 ± 0.04%, respectively. Overall survival and progression-free survival were significantly improved in male and in patients with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) ≤ 100 ng/mL, carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 ≤ 100 ng/mL, absence of extrahepatic disease, and a unilobar hepatic lesion. In addition, progression-free survival was improved in patients with a solitary hepatic lesion. On the multivariate analysis, significant survival factors were the absence of extrahepatic disease and the presence of a unilobar hepatic lesion.

CONCLUSION

RFA for colorectal liver metastases is an effective treatment option in male patients and in patients with CEA or CA19-9 ≤ 100, absence of extrahepatic disease, a solitary hepatic lesion, and a unilobar hepatic lesion.