OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential prognostic factors for patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer treated with different modes of therapy.

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 300 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancers were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTSThe median survival of patients with recurrence (MSR) treated with complete and palliative resection of liver metastases and unresectable patients was 48, 19 and 18 months, respectively (P = 0.000). In patients with unresectable liver metastases, systemic chemotherapy plus regional therapy demonstrated a median survival time of 23 months, significantly longer than the 6 months in untreated patients (P = 0.000). Patients who showed response to the first-line therapy demonstrated an improved survival versus the patients who had no response, with a median survival time of 24 vs. 16 months (P = 0.000). Univariate analysis revealed that resection modes of primary diseases and liver metastases, treatment modality for liver metastases, and response to first-line therapy were prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis showed that resection modes of liver metastases, multimodality treatment after liver metastases, and the response to first-line therapy were all independent prognostic factors for patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONResection of liver metastases, multimodality treatment after liver metastases, and response to first-line chemotherapy are all independent prognostic factors for patients with liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.