| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
ORIGINAL ARTICLES |
From the Centre Hépato-Biliaire (RA, EA, AA, DA, DC, FK, HB), and Centre de Chronothérapie (SG, FL), Service de Cancérologie Hopital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France.
Correspondence: Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Pr. Rene Adam, Centre Hepato-Biliaire, Hopital Paul Brousse, 12, Av. Paul Vaillant Couturier, BP 200 - 94804 VILLEJUIF Cedex, France; Fax: 01-45-59-38-57; E-mail: rene.adam{at}pbr.ap-hop-paris.fr
| ABSTRACT |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Methods: Between February of 1988 and September of 1996, 701 patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Four categories of nonresectable disease were defined: large size, ill location, multinodularity, and extrahepatic disease. Liver resection was performed in those patients whose disease became resectable. After resection, the patients were followed up every 3 months. A 5-year survival analysis by the different categories described was performed.
Results: Ninety-five patients (13.5%) were found to be resectable on reevaluation and underwent a potentially curative resection. There was no perioperative mortality, and the complication rate was 23%. As of December of 1999, 87 patients have completed 5 years of follow-up. The overall 5-year survival is 35% from the time of resection and 39% from the onset of chemotherapy. Respective 5-year survival rates are 60% for large tumors, 49% for ill-located lesions, 34% for multinodular disease, and 18% for liver metastases with extrahepatic disease. In this latter category, however, a 35% 5-year survival was found when all the patients with extrahepatic disease were analyzed rather than only those for whom extrahepatic disease was the main cause of nonresectability.
Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy enables liver resection in some patients with initially unresectable colorectal metastases. Long-term survival is similar to that reported for a priori surgical candidates.
Key Words: Neoadjuvant therapy Chronotherapy Colorectal liver metastases Nonresectable hepatic metastases
| INTRODUCTION |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| PATIENTS AND METHODS |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
| RESULTS |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
|
Mortality and Morbidity
There was no perioperative mortality during the first 20 days after surgery. Twenty-two (23%) complications were recorded: two postoperative hemorrhages requiring a laparotomy, four infected and eight sterile fluid collections treated nonoperatively, four transient biliary fistulas, and four systemic complications (Table 1).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A complete pathologic response was found in 6 of 95 patients (6.3%). Five of these patients (83%) are alive at a mean follow-up of 5.7 years (range, 4.77.9 years). Three patients (50%) have no evidence of disease (Table 3).
|
| DISCUSSION |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Our results with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases were previously published for a smaller number of patients and a shorter follow-up.10 In this series, we have shown a 13.6% rate of conversion from unresectability to resectability with a curative potential. If calculated for the whole group of 872 patients, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was able to increase the tumor resectability from 20% to 30%. This increased number of curative resection was accompanied by a "reasonable" complication rate and a 5-year survival that is in the range of the survival rates with initially resectable lesions.
In this study, we also included patients who failed first line chemotherapy and entered the protocol as a second or third line of treatment. This group of patients has a more limited chance of having their tumors become resectable after the neoadjuvant treatment. It seems logical to assume that the resectability rate after treatment would have been higher if only patients treated for the first time would have been included.
As expected by the nature of the disease, patients with multinodular lesions had a worse prognosis and were more likely to require more than one operation and additional procedures such as portal vein embolization or cryotherapy.
The actuarial survival curves after surgery and the true survival curves from presentation are very similar for most categories, despite an average of 10 months neoadjuvant treatment. This is in agreement with the flattening of the survival curves after 34 years indicating a plateau pattern in long-term survival.
The only figure differing significantly is the true survival of patients with extrahepatic disease. Inclusion of more patients in the extrahepatic category led to a marked improvement in survival from 18% to 36%. This finding is probably related to a group of patients with minimal extrahepatic disease that was not considered as the main cause of unresectability or that was discovered only in the operating room, suggesting an inverse correlation between the amount of extrahepatic disease and the long term prognosis.
Extrahepatic disease has commonly been a reason for a nihilistic approach. Some reports, however, were able to demonstrate a reasonable 5-year survival for concomitant hepatic and pulmonary involvement, provided that the disease is resectable.24,25 Our results concur with these findings showing a survival of 36% in those patients with resectable extrahepatic disease to solid organs. The use of neoadjuvant therapy may help to define those tumors that will benefit from an attempt to eradicate the disease. On the other hand, our findings do not support an aggressive approach in trying to resect lymphatic disease.
This series suffers from the limitations of a nonrandomized prospective study; however, it would have been unethical to prevent the potential benefit of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy from a control arm.
Only six patients were found to have a complete pathologic response, but those patients had an excellent survival rate. The clinical response assessment by ultrasound was not able to accurately predict the pathologic responders due to residual scarring and fibrosis at the site of the lesions, which is not echographically different than viable tumor. On the other hand, complete ultrasound resolution of the lesions, when it rarely occurred, did not correlate with viable cancer cells disappearance.
In conclusion, major hepatic resections after tumor response to chemotherapy can provide a significant hope for long-term survival. Further analysis is required to better define the subset of patients that is most likely to benefit from a neoadjuvant approach, and new protocols need to be developed to increase the cure rate of metastatic colorectal cancer.
| Footnotes |
|---|
Received for publication July 24, 2000. Accepted for publication November 20, 2000.
| REFERENCES |
|---|
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
B. Nordlinger, E. Van Cutsem, T. Gruenberger, B. Glimelius, G. Poston, P. Rougier, A. Sobrero, M. Ychou, and on behalf of the European Colorectal Metastases Tr Combination of surgery and chemotherapy and the role of targeted agents in the treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases: recommendations from an expert panel Ann. Onc., June 1, 2009; 20(6): 985 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. H. Sugarbaker Comprehensive Management of Disseminated Colorectal Cancer Ann. Surg. Oncol., December 1, 2008; 15(12): 3327 - 3330. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. J. Poston, J. Figueras, F. Giuliante, G. Nuzzo, A. F. Sobrero, J.-F. Gigot, B. Nordlinger, R. Adam, T. Gruenberger, M. A. Choti, et al. Urgent Need for a New Staging System in Advanced Colorectal Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., October 10, 2008; 26(29): 4828 - 4833. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. H. O'Neil and R. M. Goldberg Innovations in Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: An Update of Recent Clinical Trials Oncologist, October 1, 2008; 13(10): 1074 - 1083. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. C. Pestalozzi, S. Gruttadauria, and P.-A. Clavien Hepatic Arterial Infusion: The Beginning of the Combination Era J. Clin. Oncol., May 1, 2008; 26(13): 2231 - 2232. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Adam, D. A. Wicherts, R. J. de Haas, T. Aloia, F. Levi, B. Paule, C. Guettier, F. Kunstlinger, V. Delvart, D. Azoulay, et al. Complete Pathologic Response After Preoperative Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases: Myth or Reality? J. Clin. Oncol., April 1, 2008; 26(10): 1635 - 1641. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. M. Pawlik, R. D. Schulick, and M. A. Choti Expanding Criteria for Resectability of Colorectal Liver Metastases Oncologist, January 1, 2008; 13(1): 51 - 64. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Z. Malik, S. Farid, A. Al-Mukthar, A. Anthoney, G. J. Toogood, J. P. A. Lodge, and K. R. Prasad A Critical Appraisal of the Role of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Case-Controlled Study Ann. Surg. Oncol., December 1, 2007; 14(12): 3519 - 3526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Elias, D. Goere, V. Boige, N. Kohneh-Sharhi, D. Malka, G. Tomasic, C. Dromain, and M. Ducreux Outcome of Posthepatectomy-Missing Colorectal Liver Metastases after Complete Response to Chemotherapy: Impact of Adjuvant Intra-arterial Hepatic Oxaliplatin Ann. Surg. Oncol., November 1, 2007; 14(11): 3188 - 3194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-N. Vauthey Colorectal Liver Metastases: Treat Effectively Up Front and Consider the Borderline Resectable J. Clin. Oncol., October 10, 2007; 25(29): 4524 - 4525. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P Sanghera, K Ho, T Muscroft, and A Hartley Neoadjuvant chemotherapy enables R0 resection of locally advanced rectal cancer in a patient with a previously irradiated pelvis Br. J. Radiol., August 1, 2007; 80(956): e170 - e172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Niu, T. D. Yan, J. C. Zhu, D. Black, F. Chu, and D. L. Morris Recurrence and Survival Outcomes after Hepatic Resection with or without Cryotherapy for Liver Metastases from Colorectal Carcinoma Ann. Surg. Oncol., July 1, 2007; 14(7): 2078 - 2087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. J. O'Dwyer, S. G. Eckhardt, D. G. Haller, J. Tepper, D. Ahnen, S. Hamilton, A. B. Benson III, M. Rothenberg, N. Petrelli, H.-J. Lenz, et al. Priorities in Colorectal Cancer Research: Recommendations From the Gastrointestinal Scientific Leadership Council of the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups J. Clin. Oncol., June 1, 2007; 25(16): 2313 - 2321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Falcone, S. Ricci, I. Brunetti, E. Pfanner, G. Allegrini, C. Barbara, L. Crino, G. Benedetti, W. Evangelista, L. Fanchini, et al. Phase III Trial of Infusional Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, and Irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI) Compared With Infusional Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, and Irinotecan (FOLFIRI) As First-Line Treatment for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Gruppo Oncologico Nord Ovest J. Clin. Oncol., May 1, 2007; 25(13): 1670 - 1676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Tanaka, H. Shimada, M. Ueda, K. Matsuo, I. Endo, and S. Togo Long-Term Characteristics of 5-Year Survivors After Liver Resection for Colorectal Metastases Ann. Surg. Oncol., April 1, 2007; 14(4): 1336 - 1346. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Ishiguro, T. Akasu, Y. Fujimoto, J. Yamamoto, Y. Sakamoto, T. Sano, K. Shimada, T. Kosuge, S. Yamamoto, S. Fujita, et al. Second Hepatectomy for Recurrent Colorectal Liver Metastasis: Analysis of Preoperative Prognostic Factors Ann. Surg. Oncol., December 1, 2006; 13(12): 1579 - 1587. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Charnsangavej, B. Clary, Y. Fong, A. Grothey, T. M. Pawlik, and M. A. Choti Selection of Patients for Resection of Hepatic Colorectal Metastases: Expert Consensus Statement Ann. Surg. Oncol., October 1, 2006; 13(10): 1261 - 1268. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. K. Monga and M. J. O'Connell Surgical Adjuvant Therapy for Colorectal Cancer: Current Approaches and Future Directions Ann. Surg. Oncol., August 1, 2006; 13(8): 1021 - 1034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O J Garden, M Rees, G J Poston, D Mirza, M Saunders, J Ledermann, J N Primrose, and R W Parks Guidelines for resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases Gut, August 1, 2006; 55(suppl_3): iii1 - iii8. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Van Cutsem Progress With Biological Agents in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Leads to Many Challenges J. Clin. Oncol., July 20, 2006; 24(21): 3325 - 3327. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Poston, R. Adam, and J.-N. Vauthey Downstaging or Downsizing: Time for a New Staging System in Advanced Colorectal Cancer? J. Clin. Oncol., June 20, 2006; 24(18): 2702 - 2706. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. M. Pawlik, J.-N. Vauthey, E. K. Abdalla, R. E. Pollock, L. M. Ellis, and S. A. Curley Results of a Single-Center Experience With Resection and Ablation for Sarcoma Metastatic to the Liver Arch Surg, June 1, 2006; 141(6): 537 - 544. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I K Beal, S Anthony, A Papadopoulou, R Hutchins, G Fusai, R Begent, N Davies, J Tibballs, and B Davidson Portal vein embolisation prior to hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases and the effects of periprocedure chemotherapy. Br. J. Radiol., June 1, 2006; 79(942): 473 - 478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-N. Vauthey and E. K. Abdalla Unresectable Hepatic Colorectal Metastases: Need for New Surgical Strategies Ann. Surg. Oncol., January 1, 2006; 13(1): 5 - 6. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Masi, S. Cupini, L. Marcucci, E. Cerri, F. Loupakis, G. Allegrini, I. M. Brunetti, E. Pfanner, M. Viti, O. Goletti, et al. Treatment with 5-Fluorouracil/Folinic Acid, Oxaliplatin, and Irinotecan Enables Surgical Resection of Metastases in Patients With Initially Unresectable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Ann. Surg. Oncol., January 1, 2006; 13(1): 58 - 65. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. R. Alberts, W. L. Horvath, W. C. Sternfeld, R. M. Goldberg, M. R. Mahoney, S. R. Dakhil, R. Levitt, K. Rowland, S. Nair, D. J. Sargent, et al. Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin for Patients With Unresectable Liver-Only Metastases From Colorectal Cancer: A North Central Cancer Treatment Group Phase II Study J. Clin. Oncol., December 20, 2005; 23(36): 9243 - 9249. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Chong and D. Cunningham Improving Long-Term Outcomes for Patients With Liver Metastases From Colorectal Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., December 20, 2005; 23(36): 9063 - 9066. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. J. Poston, R. Adam, S. Alberts, S. Curley, J. Figueras, D. Haller, F. Kunstlinger, G. Mentha, B. Nordlinger, Y. Patt, et al. OncoSurge: A Strategy for Improving Resectability With Curative Intent in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., October 1, 2005; 23(28): 7125 - 7134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. J. Petrelli, J. Abbruzzese, P. Mansfield, and B. Minsky Hepatic Resection: The Last Surgical Frontier for Colorectal Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., July 10, 2005; 23(20): 4475 - 4477. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Kelly and R. M. Goldberg Systemic Therapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Current Options, Current Evidence J. Clin. Oncol., July 10, 2005; 23(20): 4553 - 4560. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. D. Leonard, B. Brenner, and N. E. Kemeny Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Before Liver Resection for Patients With Unresectable Liver Metastases From Colorectal Carcinoma J. Clin. Oncol., March 20, 2005; 23(9): 2038 - 2048. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. J. Poston Radiofrequency Ablation of Colorectal Liver Metastases: Where Are We Really Going? J. Clin. Oncol., March 1, 2005; 23(7): 1342 - 1344. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Delaunoit, S. R. Alberts, D. J. Sargent, E. Green, R. M. Goldberg, J. Krook, C. Fuchs, R. K. Ramanathan, S. K. Williamson, R. F. Morton, et al. Chemotherapy permits resection of metastatic colorectal cancer: experience from Intergroup N9741 Ann. Onc., March 1, 2005; 16(3): 425 - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Sebagh, M. Plasse, F. Levi, and R. Adam Severe hepatic sinusoidal obstruction and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a real entity? Ann. Onc., February 1, 2005; 16(2): 331 - 331. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Masi, G. Allegrini, S. Cupini, L. Marcucci, E. Cerri, I. Brunetti, E. Fontana, S. Ricci, M. Andreuccetti, and A. Falcone First-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer with irinotecan, oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOXIRI): results of a phase II study with a simplified biweekly schedule Ann. Onc., December 1, 2004; 15(12): 1766 - 1772. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Z. Z. R. Hamady, A. Kotru, H. Nishio, and J. P. A. Lodge Current techniques and results of liver resection for colorectal liver metastases Br. Med. Bull., October 27, 2004; 70(1): 87 - 104. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Pozzo, M. Basso, A. Cassano, M. Quirino, G. Schinzari, N. Trigila, M. Vellone, F. Giuliante, G. Nuzzo, and C. Barone Neoadjuvant treatment of unresectable liver disease with irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil plus folinic acid in colorectal cancer patients Ann. Onc., June 1, 2004; 15(6): 933 - 939. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Chau, M. J. Allen, D. Cunningham, A. R. Norman, G. Brown, H. E.R. Ford, N. Tebbutt, D. Tait, M. Hill, P. J. Ross, et al. The Value of Routine Serum Carcino-Embryonic Antigen Measurement and Computed Tomography in the Surveillance of Patients After Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., April 15, 2004; 22(8): 1420 - 1429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. P. Venook Testing the Water Before Diving Off the Cutting Edge Ann. Surg. Oncol., May 1, 2003; 10(4): 332 - 333. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Ychou, T. Conroy, J. F. Seitz, S. Gourgou, A. Hua, D. Mery-Mignard, and A. Kramar An open phase I study assessing the feasibility of the triple combination: oxaliplatin plus irinotecan plus leucovorin/ 5-fluorouracil every 2 weeks in patients with advanced solid tumors Ann. Onc., March 1, 2003; 14(3): 481 - 489. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer DTB, July 1, 2002; 40(7): 49 - 52. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |