| Theme | Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer : An Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Combination of surgery and chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases | |
| Publish Date | 2009/11 | |
| Author | Masamichi Yasuno | Cancer treatment expert program, Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
| Author | Kenichi Sugihara | Department of Surgical Oncology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
| [ Summary ] | There are two types of chemotherapy for hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer in relation to multimodal treatment strategies. The first is chemotherapy for advanced liver metastases which can reduce the size and number of metastatic nodules and makes curative hepatic resection possible. The second is adjuvant chemotherapy before or after radical hepatic surgery. Even in patients with unresectable, greatly far advanced hepatic metastases, with very poor prognose, the radical hepatic resection may be performed after the down staging of hepatic matastases with chemotherapy. Approximately a 35% 5-year survival rate may be expected. Discussions concerning the feasibility and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after radical hepatic resection should continue. It is expected that neoadjuvant chemotherapy may control recurrence after hepatic resection, by increasing the success of R0 operations because of the remarkable shrinkage of metastatic nodules produced. Adequate control of micro metastatic lesions is also possible. Unfortunately, no related studies of these combined modalities have been conducted. |
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