Surgical treatment of isolated abdominal wall metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Isolated abdominal wall recurrence, following resection of a primary large bowel adenocarcinoma, is an infrequent finding. Over a ten year period, 22 patients were submitted to en bloc resection of such localized neoplastic foci. In 13 cases, recurrent tumor was located in a previous midline or para median incision. Nine patients underwent palliative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy once the recurrent disease was identified, and were operated on when uncontrolled progression was clinically evident. In all cases, 4-5 cm disease-free margins were obtained. In eight patients it was possible to close the defect primarily and 14 patients required marlex mesh. Twelve patients were alive at two years and ten patients at five-years follow-up mark. Mucin-producing or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma had the worse prognosis. Synthetic prosthesis allowed for adequate resections with little morbidity and acceptable cosmesis. Symptomatic relief and long-term palliation can be achieved with aggressive surgery. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy still needs to be evaluated. The aggressiveness of poorly differentiated and the mucin producing adenocarcinoma should temper radical surgical exercises.