The role of liver surgery in the treatment of non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine metastases (NCRNNE). Analysis of 134 resected patients

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of surgery in the treatment of non-colorectal, non-neuroendocrine (NCRNNE) liver metastases. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-four patients undergoing curative liver resection for NCRNNE liver metastases were retrospectively analyzed. Perioperative results (blood transfusion, hospital stay, morbidity and mortality), 3 and 5-year overall and disease-free survival were evaluated. The following prognostic factors were analyzed: age (cut-off 50 year old), single vs. multiple nodules, diameter (cut-off 5 cm), disease-free interval less vs. more than one year, type of primary tumor, blood transfusion, major hepatectomy vs. minor hepatectomy. Survival of patients undergoing liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer was also analyzed to compare the results with the study population. RESULTS: Mortality and morbidity rate were 3% and 23.1%, respectively. The 3 and 5-year survival were 56.5% and 40%, respectively. The 3 and 5-year disease-free survival were 44% and 30%, respectively. Diameter, disease-free interval and metastases from gastrointestinal cancers were independently related to the survival at the multivariate analysis. Thirty-nine patients (27%) survived over five years. Patients with liver metastases from gastrointestinal primary tumors were those with a worse survival (25% and 19% at 3 and 5 years, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is an effective treatment for patients with NCRNNE liver metastases, providing satisfactory long-term outcomes with acceptable morbidity and mortality, in particular when excluding patients with gastro-intestinal metastases.