Clinical Trials Study
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World J Hepatol. Jul 27, 2014; 6(7): 513-519
Published online Jul 27, 2014. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i7.513
Patients with multiple synchronous colonic cancer hepatic metastases benefit from enrolment in a “liver first” approach protocol
Dimitrios Kardassis, Achilleas Ntinas, Dimosthenis Miliaras, Alexandros Kofokotsios, Konstantinos Papazisis, Dionisios Vrochides
Dimitrios Kardassis, Achilleas Ntinas, Dionisios Vrochides, Centre for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, “Euromedica Geniki Kliniki” General Hospital, 54645 Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimosthenis Miliaras, Department of Pathology, “Euromedica Geniki Kliniki” General Hospital, 54645 Thessaloniki, Greece
Alexandros Kofokotsios, Department of Interventional Gastroenterology, “Euromedica Geniki Kliniki” General Hospital, 54645 Thessaloniki, Greece
Konstantinos Papazisis, Department of Medical Oncology, “Euromedica Geniki Kliniki” General Hospital, 54645 Thessaloniki, Greece
Author contributions: Kardassis D, Ntinas A and Vrochides D conceived and designed the study, performed surgical procedures, analysed and interpreted the data, and wrote the manuscript; Kofokotsios A, Papazisis K and Miliaras D provided multi-disciplinary treatment of the enlisted patients based on their respective specialties and were also involved in editing the manuscript; all authors approved the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dimitrios Kardassis, MD, Centre for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, “Euromedica Geniki Kliniki” General Hospital, R.: 701, 11 Maria Callas Street, 54645 Thessaloniki, Greece. dimitrios.kardassis@gmx.net
Telephone: +30-231-0895469 Fax: +30-23-10895196
Received: November 4, 2013
Revised: May 15, 2014
Accepted: May 28, 2014
Published online: July 27, 2014
Processing time: 263 Days and 9.8 Hours
Abstract

AIM: To assess a protocol for treating patients with multiple synchronous colonic cancer liver metastases, which are unresectable in one stage.

METHODS: Patients enrolled in the “liver first” protocol presented with colon-only (not rectal) cancer and multiple synchronous hepatic metastases (type II or III). All patients showed good performance status (ECOG PS 0-1) and were treated with curative intent. Complete oncologic staging including positron emission tomography-computed tomography was performed in order to rule out extrahepatic disease. If bowel obstruction was imminent, an intraluminal colonic stent was placed endoscopically. Subsequently, all patients received standardised neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, that is, FOLFOX or XELOX regimens combined with an antiangiogenic agent (bevacizumab or cetuximab). Provided that a response to chemotherapy was observed, patients underwent either one or two hepatectomies with or without portal vein embolization followed by the indicated colectomy. Further chemotherapy was administered after each procedure. Re-staging was performed after each chemotherapeutic treatment. Disease progression at any stage resulted in discontinuation of the protocol and conversion to palliative disease management.

RESULTS: Prospectively recorded data from 11 consecutive patients (8 men) were analysed for this study. Their mean age at the time of their first assessment was 65.7 (SD ± 15.3) years. Six (54.6%) patients presented with type III metastatic disease. The minimum and maximum follow-up periods were 7.3 and 39.6 mo, respectively. The mean overall survival of all patients was 16.5 (95%CI: 10.0-23.2) mo. A colonic stent had to be placed in 5 (45.5%) patients due to the onset of an intraluminal obstruction. Four (36.4%) patients succeeded in completing all planned surgical operations. Their mean overall survival was 27.2 (95%CI: 15.1-39.3) mo and the mean disease-free survival was 7.7 (95%CI: 3.0-12.5) mo. Patients, who were obliged to shift to palliative treatment due to disease progression, had a mean overall survival of 10.5 (95%CI: 8.6-12.4) mo. None of these patients underwent palliative colectomy. No postoperative mortality was recorded.

CONCLUSION: The implementation of a structured “liver first” approach protocol for the treatment of patients with extensive, liver-limited colon cancer metastatic disease may be beneficial.

Keywords: Clinical protocols; Colectomy; Colon cancer; Hepatectomy; Liver neoplasm

Core tip: Complete tumour burden resection remains the only possible curative therapy for liver-limited colon cancer metastatic disease. However, there are different approaches regarding treatment of the primary tumour and its hepatic metastases, if the latter are synchronous and unresectable with one surgical procedure. For this subgroup of patients, a “liver first” approach protocol is introduced in order to assess standardised treatment as well as to prevent overtreatment in cases of undetected extra-hepatic metastatic dissemination or disease progression.