Hepatic resection for liver metastasis of sigmoid colon cancer after incomplete percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy

We report a case of colon cancer with liver metastasis that had been treate d previously by sigmoidectomy and partial hepatic segmentectomy. A 55-year- old woman presented with two asynchronous liver metastases, which were trea ted with percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy. However, evaluation by dynamic computed tomography one week later showed incomplete necrosis in a t least one tumor. Surgical resection was subsequently performed and histop athological examination showed the presence of viable cancer cells in both tumors. We conclude that surgical resection is perhaps the best curative me thod of treatment of metastatic liver tumors of colorectal carcinomas and t hat dynamic computed tomography is not always accurate for evaluating the e ffect of microwave coagulation therapy.