Long-term outcome after sequential liver and lung metastasectomy is comparable to outcome of isolated liver or lung metastasectomy in colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Previously, colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis of both liver and lungs was considered disseminated disease, which contraindicated surgical metastasectomies. Increasing evidence from studies on patient series have indicated that survival improved after resecting both liver and lung metastases. However, those results and long-term outcomes remain controversial. We aimed to compare surgical outcomes between patients treated for both liver and lung metastases to the patients who had only isolated liver or lung metastases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All patients (n = 105) underwent surgery for CRC metastases between July 2002 and September 2015. Three groups were compared: the sequentially operated group (n = 33 patients) underwent sequential liver and lung resections; the liver group (n = 38 patients) underwent liver resections; and the lung group (n = 34 patients) underwent lung resections. The main endpoints were long-term survival rates.

RESULTS

The groups were not different in disease-free survival (P = 0.727) or overall survival (P = 0.218). Five-year survival rates were 69.7% in the sequentially operated group, 65.1% in the liver group, and 50.0% in the lung group.

CONCLUSION

Long-term outcomes after sequential liver and lung resections of CRC metastases were comparable to outcomes after isolated liver or lung metastasectomies. Therefore, aggressive surgical interventions should be considered for patients with both liver and lung metastases of CRC.