Successful treatment of recurrent liver metastases from gastric cancer by repeated hepatic resections: Report of a case

We describe herein the case of a patient in whom recurrent liver metastases from gastric cancer were successfully treated by performing repeated hepat ic resections. A 63-year-old man underwent a total gastrectomy with regiona l lymph node dissection for an advanced gastric cancer on November 17, 1992 , the pathological findings of which confirmed a diagnosis of well-differen tiated tubular adenocarcinoma, ss, INF alpha, ly1, v0, n1(+). Follow-up com puter tomography (CT) and ultrasonography scans done 7 months after the gas trectomy revealed a metastasis in the liver S5, and a partial resection of S5 was performed on July 5, 1993. Subsequently, on November 17, 1994, an an terior segmentectomy of the liver was performed for a liver metastasis in t he liver S8, then on August 11, 1998, a partial resection of the liver S6 w as performed for a metastasis in the liver SG. The pathological findings of each liver specimen resected were compatible with metastatic adenocarcinom a from the primary gastric cancer. The liver tumors were expansive-growing tumors with capsules and massive necrosis. The patient is currently well wi th no evidence of recurrence on repeat CT scans, 6 years 6 months since-the initial gastrectomy, and 5 years 10 months since the first hepatic resecti on.