OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this systematic review and pooled analysis were to examine long-term survival, morbidity, and mortality following surgical resection of gastric cancer hepatic metastases and to identify prognostic factors that improve survival.

BACKGROUND

Patients with hepatic metastases from gastric cancer are traditionally treated with palliative chemotherapy.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was undertaken (1990 to 2015). Publications were included if they studied more than 10 patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatic metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma in the absence of peritoneal disease or other distant organ involvement. The primary outcome was the hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival. The influence of liver metastasis related factors; multiple vs single and metachronous vs synchronous upon survival was also assessed.

RESULTS

The median number of resections for the 39 studies included was 21 (range 10 to 64). Procedures were associated with a median 30-day morbidity of 24% (0% to 47%) and mortality of 0% (0% to 30%). The median 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival were 68%, 31%, and 27%, respectively. Survival was improved in Far Eastern compared with Western studies; 1-year (73% vs 59%), 3-year (34% vs 24.5%), and 5-year (27.3% vs 16.5%). Surgical resection of hepatic metastases was associated with a significantly improved overall survival (HR = 0.50; P < 0.001). Meta-analysis confirmed the additional survival benefit of solitary compared with multiple hepatic metastases (odds ratio = 0.31; P = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

The observed improved survival rates following the resection of hepatic metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma in selected patients merit a prospective study to formally address the survival benefits and the influence on quality of life of such approach.