Preoperative systemic 5-fluorouracil does not increase the risk of liver resection

Background/Aims: The majority of patients who underwent surgery for colorec tal liver metastases have been previously treated with 5-FU either as adjuv ant chemotherapy or as a primary treatment. We have performed a retrospecti ve study to assess whether this chemotherapy increases the risk of liver re section. Methodology: Mortality, morbidity and histology of the resected liver of tw o groups of patients having colorectal liver metastases who underwent major resection were studied. The first group included 17 patients who had recei ved at least 2 courses of 5-FU chemotherapy within 3 months prior to liver resection. The second group included 18 patients who had received no chemot herapy and who were used as controls. Results: Perioperative mortality was nil. Intraoperative blood loss during Liver resection (1+/-2.5 vs. 1.2+/-2 units) was similar in the two groups. Changes of liver function tests on days 2 and 5 were similar in the two gro ups. Morbidity rate was similar in the two groups (29 vs. 22%) with a mean duration of postoperative hospital stay of 19+/-9 days in the 5-FU group an d 16+/-6 days in the control group. Although 7 (41%) patients in the 5-FU g roup had an abnormal parenchyma consistency as compared to only 3 (17%) in the control group, the pathological findings within the resected specimen w ere not different. Conclusions: 5-FU based systemic chemotherapy does not increase the risk of liver resections.