Chirurgische Resektion kolorektaler Lebermetastasen

Trans-arterial chemoperfusion for the treatment of liver metastases of breast cancer and colorectal cancer: Clinical results in palliative care patients

AIM

To evaluate the clinical value and efficiency of trans-arterial chemoperfusion (TACP) in patients with liver metastases from breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

We treated 36 patients with liver metastases of BC (n = 19, 19 females) and CRC (n = 17; 8 females, 9 males) with repeated TACP. The treatment interval was 4 wk. TACP was performed with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m²) and mitomycin (10 mg/m²), administered within 1 h after positioning the catheter tip in the hepatic artery. Before treatment, the size, location, tumour volume, vascularization and number of liver tumours were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Tumour response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors guidelines.

RESULTS

TACP using gemcitabine and mitomycin for metastases from CRC and BC was performed without any serious side effects. The follow-up MRI showed a therapeutic response in 84.2% of the BC patients - stable disease 47.4% and partial response 36.8%. A progression was seen in 15.8%. CRC patients showed a therapeutic response in 52.9% of cases. A progression of the disease was documented in 47.1% of the patients with CRC. These data show that TACP in patients with liver metastases of BC leads to a significantly better therapeutic response compared with CRC patients (P = 0.042). The median survival time was 13.2 mo for the BC patients, which is significantly longer than for CRC patients at 9.3 mo (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

TACP for liver metastases of BC appears to be a safe and effective palliative treatment with improved outcomes in comparison to patients with CRC.

[Value of laparoscopic liver resection]

Whereas in other fields of surgery minimally invasive techniques have replaced the open surgery approach, liver resection is still a domain of conventional surgery. However, it is internationally emerging that laparoscopic hepatic surgery will become more important by conceptional improvements. This article describes the technical aspects of laparoscopic liver resection, in particular the procedure with respect to the individual liver segments. The advantages and disadvantages of the minimally invasive technique and also the indications for laparoscopic liver resection will be discussed.

[Early results of liver resection due to metastases of colorectal carcinoma]

BACKGROUND/AIM

Liver metastases are most frequently the result of colorectal carcinoma. The aim of this study was to analyse early results of operative treatment of the patients with the liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma.

METHODS

This retrospective, prospective study included 387 patients with colorectal carcinoma operated during the period from 2005-2007. All the patients were submitted to oncologic surgery protocol. The functional state of the liver was assessed, especially in the patients with hemotherapy. Diagnostic protocol further included color Doppler ultrasonography of the liver and port system, as well as spiral computed tomography includy angiography. Nine (5.7%) of the patients were submitted to explorative laparotomy.

RESULTS

Of all the patients 157 (40.6%) had metastases in the liver, synhronous 78 (20.15%) and metachronous 79 (20.45%), Forty two (26.7%) patients were indicated for the liver resection. In 33 (21%) of them it was performed successfully. There were 18 females and 15 males of the average age 60.09 (42-81) years. Up to 4 metastases had 90.9% of the patients and in 9.09% had up to 5 and more metastases. On average, metastases occupied 2.6 of the liver segments. There were 21.2% of solitary lesions (7 patients), 63.6% of multilple unilobular (21 patients) and 15.15% of multiple bilobular metastases (5 patients). Liver resection was done using ultraharmonic scalpel. At spacious liver resections we used a device for intraoperative saving of blood (cell saver) and applied a technique of selective hepatic vascular exclusion. An average disease-free interval was 16.7 months. There were 60.6% of anatomical liver resections and 39.4% of atypical resections. In 31.1% of the operated patients we made resection on up to two segments of the liver and in 30.3% we made resection of four segments. An average number of segments where resection had been performed was 2.65 and the duration of operation was 143 minutes. In 39.4% of the cases we used a technique of liver vascular isolation, an average duration was 38 minutes. In 30.3% of resections we used cell saver and 70% of operated patients were transfused. On average, 493 ml of blood was transfused. Of the total number of resections, 90.9% was of the type R0, 9.09% of the type R1. An average duration of postoperative hospitalization was 10.6 days. Operative morbidity rate was 15.15% and operative mortality 3.03%. During a six-month observing there were not any mortality or repeated metastases in liver.

CONCLUSION

Anatomic liver resection including selective vascular hepatic excision by the use of an ultraharmonic scalpel and cell saver is considered to be efficient and secure method for the reduction of intraoperative and postoperative complications rendering good surgical results.

[Liver resection: prt II. Operative procedure]

Hepatic surgery has grown considerably in importance during the last two decades. Major roles in this development have been played by improvements in imaging diagnostics and intensive care and particularly advancements in general hepatic surgical techniques. We present the terminology of functional and segmental anatomy of the liver on which current hepatic surgery is based, along with operative strategies for standard, nonconventional, and repeat resections. Intraoperative complications are also discussed.

[Colorectal liver metastases. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: aspects of medical and surgical oncology]

Colorectal liver metastases are detected in 15-20% of patients at the time of diagnosis of the primary tumor, they develop in an additional 20-30% of patients during further course of the disease. Radical resection enables 5-year survival rates of 30-50%. Resectability may be increased by surgical techniques including two-stage hepatectomy and portal vein embolization. Furthermore, modern chemotherapy including various combinations of oxaliplatin, irinotecan, bevacizumab, and cetuximab has led to secondary resectability correlating to response rates which may be up to 80%. Changes of hepatic histology such as sinusoidal obstruction (e.g. following oxaliplatin) or steatohepatitis (e.g. following irinotecan) have been described. Individually, this may increase the risk of subsequent liver resection. As of today the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable lesions has not been definitively confirmed.

[Liver resection: Part I. Anatomy and operative planning]

Hepatic surgery has grown considerably in importance during the past two decades. Major roles in this development have been played by improvements in imaging diagnostics and intensive care as well as general advancements in hepatic surgical technique. Enormous strides in liver transplantation resulted in new methods also finding use in resective surgery. We present findings on functional and segmental anatomy of the liver on which current hepatic surgery is based, along with technical and oncological aspects requiring consideration for indication. Operative planning and anesthesiological management are discussed.