INTRODUCTIONMetastatic disease to the liver in colorectal cancer is a common entity that may present synchronously or metachronously. While increasing surgical experience has improved survival outcomes, some evidence suggest that synchronous lesions should be managed differently. This review aims to update current literature on differences between the outcomes and management of synchronous and metachronous disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODSSystematic review of MEDLINE database up till November 2008.

RESULTSDiscrete differences in tumour biology have been identified in separate studies. Twenty-one articles comparing outcomes were reviewed. Definitions of metachronicity varied from anytime after primary tumour evaluation to 1 year after surgery for primary tumour. Most studies reported that synchronous lesions were associated with poorer survival rates (8% to 16% reduction over 5 years). Sixteen articles comparing combined vs staged resections for synchronous tumour showed comparable morbidity and mortality. Benefits over staged resections included shorter hospital stays and earlier initiation of chemotherapy. Suitability for combined resection depended on patient age and constitution, primary tumour characteristics, size and the number of liver metastases, and the extent of liver involvement.

CONCLUSIONSSurgery remains the only treatment option that offers a chance of long-term survival for patients amenable to curative resection. Synchronicity suggests more aggressive disease although a unifying theory for biological differences explaining the disparity in tumour behaviour has not been found. Combined resection of primary tumour and synchronous metastases is a viable option pending careful patient selection and institutional experience. Given the current evidence, management of synchronous and metachronous colorectal liver metastases needs to be individualised to the needs of each patient.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; secondary ; surgery ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis

BACKGROUNDPittsburgh modified TNM criteria is one of the prognostic models of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we applied this prognostic system in a series of HCC patients receiving OLT to verify its reliability in the clinical prognostic prediction.

METHODSThe clinical record and follow-up data of 102 patients with HCC underwent OLT was collected. The patients were classified by 3 staging systems: the Pittsburgh Modified TNM Criteria, International Union Against Cancer (UICC) pTNM Staging System, and Milan Criteria. Survival rates of the patients were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-Rank test, and then the prognostic values of the 3 staging systems were compared.

RESULTSAmong the 3 staging systems, the Pittsburgh Modified TNM Criteria showed the best stratification of patients with different prognosis. The overall survival rates of the patients at the Pittsburgh modified TNM stage I, II, III, and IV were 94.4%, 83.3%, 58.2%, and 36.8% at 1 year, and 79.4%, 62.5%, 26.2%, and 10.5% at 3 years, respectively. For those patients exceeding the Milan Criteria, the patients at Pittsburgh stages I and II had a significant higher survival rate than those at Pittsburgh stages III and IV (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe Pittsburgh Modified TNM Criteria is a more reliable postoperative staging system than the UICC pTNM staging system for HCC patients receiving OLT. As providing more accurate prognostic classification, it could be reasonable to combine the Milan Criteria for recipient selection.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

Along with the improvement of surgical techniques and post-transplant management, the role of liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment has become increasingly important. Although HCC now is an indication of liver transplantation, the criteria of HCC candidates selection vary in different transplantation centers in China. On the contrary, the HCC candidates selection criteria in western countries are relatively strict, among which Milan criteria, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria, and Pittsburgh modified TNM criteria are widely acknowledged. However, Milan criteria and UCSF criteria only focus on tumor diameter and tumor number but ignore some important risk factors such as vascular invasion and histological differentiation. In our opinion, the biological behaviors of tumor are as important as tumor burden. A set of new candidates selection and prognostic criteria of liver transplantation in HCC patients named "Hangzhou criteria" has been established based on China's real situations and on the results of our long-term research. Hangzhou criteria expands and surpasses Milan criteria, including several important risk factors. According to Hangzhou criteria, more HCC patients are given opportunities to receive liver transplantation and achieved favorable long-term survival. Also in this article, we reviewed the peri-transplantation therapy of HCC to reduce the tumor recurrence and improve the long-term survival after transplantation for the purpose of making liver transplantation more effective and reliable for HCC treatment.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; China ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Patient Selection ; Treatment Outcome

The five-year survival rate of patients after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been reported to be 30 to 50 %, however the actual survival rate may be different. We analyzed the actual 5-year survival rate and prognostic factors after curative resection of HCC. Retrospective analysis was performed on 63 HCC patients who underwent curative resection from 1998 to 1999. A total of 63 cases were reviewed, consisting of 53 men and 10 women, with a median age of 49 years. These cases included all four pathologic T stages (pT stage) and had the following representation: stage 1 (1 case), stage 2 (17 cases), stage 3 (38 cases), and stage 4 (7 cases). In our study, the actual 5-year survival rate was 57.0% and the median survival time was 60 months. In addition, the patients in our study had an actual 5-year disease-free survival rate of 50.2% and a median disease-free survival time of 46 months. Thirty-one patients had recurrences, with a majority occurring within one year (65%). These patients with early recurrences had a poor actual 5-year survival rate of 5%. A univariate analysis showed that the prognostic factors influencing survival rate were the presence of satellite nodules, increased pT stage, HCC recurrence, and the time to recurrence (within one year). Interestingly, microvascular invasion made a difference in survival rate but was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). Furthermore, factors influencing the disease free survival rate include the presence of satellite nodules, microvascular invasion, and pT stage. Multivariate analysis identified pT stage as the only statistically related factor in determining the disease-free survival rate. The most important prognostic factor of HCC is recurrence. Moreover, the major risk factor for recurrence is an advanced pT stage. Therefore, performing prospective studies of postoperative adjuvant therapy is necessary to prevent recurrences after hepatic resection. Furthermore, active preventative treatment and early diagnosis of recurrences should be of the highest priority in the care of high-risk patient groups that have an advanced pT stage.
Survival Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Liver Neoplasms/*mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Liver/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; *Hepatectomy ; Female ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Aged ; Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an unusual subtype of HCC that is characterized by an embedded dense fibrous stroma in the tubular neoplastic structures. We aimed to assess the surgical approaches and outcomes of sclerosing HCC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic features of 6 patients with sclerosing HCC who underwent surgical treatment at Asan Medical Center between July 1989 and December 2005. RESULTS: Six HCC patients with sclerosing HCC were diagnosed out of the total 1390 HCC patients (0.43%) during the study period. The mean age was 58 years and 4 patients were male. Weight loss and abdominal pain were the most common symptoms. The serum calcium and phosphorus levels were normal in all the patients. All of them were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive, but none was positive for hepatitis C. All the lesions were solitary. The tumor size ranged from 45 to 150 mm in diameter (median size: 81 mm). We performed right trisegmentectomy (n=1), central bisegmentectomy (n=1), right anterior segmentectomy (n=1), ex-vivo resection and autotransplantation (n=1) and right posterior segmentectomy (n=2). The median overall survival and disease free-survival periods were 24 months and 9.5 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of sclerosing HCC was very low. Sclerosing HCC was often not correctly diagnosed before an operation, but performing resection prolonged the patients' survival and their prognosis was not worse than that for ordinary HCC. Our experience implicates that aggressive surgical treatment for sclerosing HCC is beneficial for patient survival.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver/*pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors affecting neoplasm recurrence and metastasis following liver transplantation (LT) and liver resection (LR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) meeting Milan criteria.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 88 patients with HCC meeting Milan criteria undergoing LT or LR in Nanfang Hospital between January, 2006 and December, 2011 and compared the survival rate and recurrence-free survival rate between the two groups. Univariate analysis of 12 variables during peri-operative period was carried out to screen the risk factors affecting neoplasm recurrence and metastasis.

RESULTSThe LT group and HR group had similar 1-, 3-, and 5-year-survival rates (P>0.05), but the LT group showed significantly higher 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates (P<0.05). The recurrence rate was much lower in LT group than in LR group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis identified gender, tumor size, degree of pathological differentiation, and microvascular tumor embolism as independent risk factors affecting the recurrence-free survival rate.

CONCLUSIONPatients with HCC meeting Milan criteria undergoing LT have longer long-term recurrence-free survival. A male patient with a greater tumor size, microvascular tumor embolism, and poorly differentiated carcinoma is more likely to develop neoplasm recurrence and metastasis following the surgery.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo elucidate an adequate hepatectomy margin for simultaneous liver and colorectal resection in colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

METHODSClinical data of 39 patients, undergone simultaneous liver and colorectal resection for colorectal cancer liver metastasis from August 1994 to December 2004, were analyzed retrospectively. Two groups were divided according to the width of hepatectomy margin:less than 1 cm in group A, and equal or more than 1 cm in group B. The data were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank test.

RESULTSThere were 14 patients in group A and 25 patients in group B. No significant differences in gender, age, primary tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, the number, distribution and size of liver metastasis, duration and blood lose of surgery were found between two groups. The median survival time was 17 months in group A, and 37 months in group B, and the overall 5-year survival rate in group B was much better than that in group A (19.8% vs 0, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSimultaneous liver and colorectal resection in colorectal cancer liver metastasis should be performed with a hepatectomy margin equal or more than 1 cm.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; mortality ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore the significance of resection margin and tumor number on survival of patients with small liver cancer after hepatectomy.

METHODSWe collected 219 cases with small liver cancer undergoing hepatectomy in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between December 2003 to July 2013. The survival rates were compared by log-rank test between two resection margin groups (≥ 1 cm vs. <1 cm), different tumor number groups (single tumor vs. multiple tumors). We also performed a multifactor analysis by Cox model.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, 5- and 10- year overall survival rates were 95.9%, 85.3%, 67.8% and 53.3%, respectively, in all patients. The median survival time was 28 months in the group of <1 cm resection margin and 36 months in the group of ≥ 1 cm resection margin (P=0.249). The median survival time was 36 months in the group of single tumor and 26 months in the group of multiple tumors (P=0.448). The multifactor analysis also did not show significant effect of resection margin and tumor number on the patients' survival.

CONCLUSIONSFor small liver cancer, the resection margin of 1 cm might be advised. Increasing resection margin in further could probably not improve therapeutic effect. Standardized operation and combined treatment will decrease the negative influence of multiple tumors on overall survival.

Combined Modality Therapy ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of portal vein microscopic and macroscopic tumor thrombi on post-operation patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThree thousand three hundred and forty eight HCC patients were retrospectively reviewed, which were divided into no portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT), microscopic PVTT and macroscopic PVTT groups according to the pathology, effects of portal vein microscopic and macroscopic tumor thrombi on post-operation patients's survival were studied by univariate analysis and overall survival was evaluated in each group.

RESULTSHazard ratio (HR) of portal vein microscopic tumor thrombi and macroscopic tumor thrombi was 1.421 and 3.136 respectively; The overall 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rate was 85.97%, 62.78%, 49.88% and 35.42% respectively, and mean time for survival was 59.7 months in group without PVTT, while 74.42%, 51.66%, 39.25% and 27.28% respectively and mean time for survival 39.1 months in group with microscopic PVTT, 52.59%, 25.97%, 20.42% and 11.33% respectively and mean time for survival 13.5 months in group with macroscopic PVTT.

CONCLUSIONSPVTT was an important prognostic factor for survival in post-operation patients with HCC while macroscopic PVTT was more danger than microscopic PVTT. The period of microscopic PVTT was the landmark affecting post-operation survival.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUNDBudd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is characterized by liver sinusoidal congestion, ischemic liver cell damage, and liver portal hypertension caused by hepatic venous outflow constriction. The aim of this research was to investigate the clinicopathological features of BCS-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore its surgical treatment and prognosis.

METHODSClinical data from 38 patients with BCS-associated HCC who were surgically treated in our hospital from July 1998 to August 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with BCSassociated HCC and surgical treatment for BCS-associated HCC were investigated.

RESULTSCompared to the patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC, the patients with BCS-associated HCC showed a female predominance, and had significantly higher cirrhosis rate, higher incidence of solitary tumors, lower incidence of infiltrative growth, higher proportion of marginal or exogenous growth, lower rate of portal vein invasion, and higher degree of differentiation. Median survival was longer in patients with BCS-associated HCC (76 months) than in those with HBV associated HCC (38 months). Of 38 patients with BCS-associated HCC, 22 patients who received combined surgery mainly by liver resection plus cavoatrial shunts exhibited hepatic venous outflow constriction relief, while the other 16 patients only underwent liver resection. The combined surgery group had significantly longer survival and lower incidences of post-operative lethal complications (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that relief of hepatic venous outflow obstruction was a protective factor for survival of patients with BCS-associated HCC, whereas portal vein invasion was a risk factor.

CONCLUSIONSBCS-associated HCC has a more favorable biological behavior and prognosis than HBV-associated HCC. For patients with BCS-associated HCC, tumor resection accompanied with relief of hepatic venous outflow obstruction can reduce the incidence of complications and extend survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; complications ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis