Survival Following Resection of Intra- and Extra-Hepatic Metastases from Colorectal Cancer: A Phase II Trial

PurposeMetastasectomy for intrahepatic metastases (IHM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) provides excellent 5-year overall survival (OS). Presence of extrahepatic metastases (EHM) has been a historic contraindication to surgery. Due to improved safety of hepatectomy, there is growing interest in multisite metastasectomy for IHM and EHM. The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of metastasectomy for patients with IHM and EHM from CRC.MethodsA phase II study of metastasectomy for both IHM and EHM from CRC. Eligible patients with any number of IHM and up to three EHM foci, resectable with RO intent, were offered metastasectomy. Clinical, survival, and quality of life (QoL) data were analyzed using standard statistical methods.ResultsTwenty-six patients were enrolled with a median age of 58 (range 32–84) years; 14/26 (54 %) presented with synchronous disease. The lung was the most common EHM site (13/26, 50 %). Protocol surgery was completed in 20/26 (77 %), including 12/26 (46 %) planned sequential resections. Major morbidity and perioperative mortality were 5/26 (19 %) and 1/26 (4 %), respectively. The QoL decline appeared to be transient. All QoL domains returned to baseline by 1-year posttreatment. The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 5 months by intent-to-treat analysis. The median OS from the time of CRC diagnosis and metastasectomy were 50 and 38 months (3-year OS 80 and 53 %), respectively.ConclusionsComplete metastasectomy of multisite CRC is safe, but disease recurs in the majority of patients. Data suggest that aggressive multisite metastasectomy may provide OS benefit for selected patients.