| Theme |
Recent advances in the diagnostic imaging and the treatment of liver metastates from colorectal cancer |
| Title |
Cryosurgery for liver metastases associated with colorectal cancer |
| Author |
Haruhiro Nakazaki |
First Department of Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine |
| Author |
Masashi Watanabe |
First Department of Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine |
| Author |
Tatsuo Teramoto |
First Department of Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
Indications for cryoablation of liver metastases from colorectal cancer included residual tumors after resection, or a few small tumors and margin involvement after wedge resection. Cryoablation has been performed in operative procedures, and recently in percutaneous and endoscopic procedures. Twelve patients underwent operative cryosurgery with or without additional hepatic resection from 1981 to 1987. The survival range of the 12 cases was from 6 to 117 months. The median survival time was 25.4 months. Six patients under went percutaneous cryoablation from 1991 to 2002. Four of the six patients died of extrahepatic desease (lung metastases, carcinomatosa peritonitis), median survival 22.4 months (range 13-44 months). Two of the six have survived for 9 and 76 months with extrahepatic desease. Cryoablation for liver metastases from colorectal cancer is a safe and feasible treatment for selected patients. |