Hepatic resection for metastatic tumors from noncolorectal carcinoma

Background/Aims: The role of liver resection for hepatic metastases from no ncolorectal carcinomas has yet to be clarified. The present study examines a single institutional experience of hepatic resection for noncolorectal me tastases. Methodology: From January 1987 to March 1999, 14 patients underwent curativ e resection for liver metastases from noncolorectal carcinomas. Records of these patients were reviewed. Results: Resections were performed for liver metastases from gastric cancer s (n = 8), pancreatic cancers (n = 2), and cancers of bile duct, the papill a of Vater, kidney, and breast (n = 1, each). Six patients (5 with gastric cancers and 1 with pancreas cancer) pre- sented with synchronous disease an d 8 with metachronous disease. In the gastric cancer patients, there are 2 disease-free survivors (26 and 53 months) in the metachronous group, though all of the 5 patients with synchronous disease died within 29 months. All of the 4 patients with pancreatobiliary carcinomas died within 2 years. One case of breast cancer and another of renal cell cancer are alive without d isease at 49 and 9 months, respectively. Conclusions: For metastases from gastric cancers, better survival after hep atic resection is expected in metachronous cases than in synchronous cases. Hepatic resection may afford little benefit for patients with liver metast ases from pancretobiliary cancers.