A STUDY OF THE PROGNOSIS OF METASTATIC LIVER CANCER

Abstract

Of 83 cases of metastatic liver cancer treated by the authors, 39 with the primary lesion in the stomach and 33 in the large intestine were compared with regard to prognosis. The prognosis of hepatectomized patients was also evaluated. The group with metastatic liver cancer originating in the large intestine showed significantly better results than those of the group with the primary focus in the stomach. Examination of differentiating adenocarcinoma exhibiting a high frequency of liver metastasis revealed differences in properties, such as the stage of primary lesion and metastatic liver lesion, between the stomach and large intestine. The prognosis of the hepatectomized patients with liver metastasis was better than that of the non-hepatectomized patients. Of 14 hepatectomy cases, the large intestine (11) was the most frequent site of primary lesion, and these 11 cases showed satisfactory prognosis. Liver metastasis of colorectal cancer was the best indication for hepatectomy. Partial resection was thought to be a sufficient procedure for hepatectomy, since no prognostic difference was observed between segmental and partial resection.