STREAMLINE PHENOMENA IN LIVER METASTASIS OF GASTROINTESTINAL TUMORS -A CLINICAL-STUDY BASED UPON 172 PATIENTS

Location and number of liver metastasis of gastrointestinal tumors wer e detected preoperatively and intraoperatively. The distribution of th e liver segment(s) occupied by metastatic tumors varied significantly (p<0.05). Significantly more frequent distributions were demonstrated in the lateral segment with gastric cancer (p<0.05), in the posterior segment with left colic cancer (p<0.001), in the medial segment with r ectal cancer (p<0.01), in the anterior segment with bile duct cancer ( p<0.05) and the whole of the liver with pancreatic cancer (p<0.05). Si gnificantly less frequent distribution was demonstrated in the posteri or segment with gastric cancer (p<0.01). When the liver was divided in to the right and the left halves, the distribution of each half of the liver occupied by metastatic tumors varied significantly (p<0.05). Li ver metastases of whole colic cancer were significantly more frequent in the right half of the liver (p<0.05). The results suggest that the tumor distribution in liver metastases of gastrointestinal tumors diff er depending upon the primary tumors, basically in accordance with the 'streamline' phenomena.