Repeat resection leads to long-term survival: analysis of 10-year follow-up of patients with colorectal liver metastases

•We review patients who underwent liver resection for colorectal liver metastases.•This study is based on a single institutional and complete 10-year follow-up data.•The 10-year survival rate was 31.1%.•The survival curve reached a plateau after 10 years.•A 10-year survival following initial hepatectomy should be defined as cure.

BackgroundSome reports have shown that a significant number of patients experience recurrence, even after 5 or more years after surgery for colorectal liver metastases (CLMs). This study aimed to determine the actual cure rate and identify clinical characteristics among long-term survivors.MethodsA prospectively maintained database was used to retrospectively review patients who underwent liver resection for CLM between 1994 and 2001.ResultsA total of 130 patients underwent liver resection for CLM with a complete 10-year follow-up. The 10-year disease-specific survival rate was 31.1%, and the survival curve reached a plateau after 10 years from the time of hepatic resection. There were 35 actual 10-year survivors. Multivariate analysis revealed that female patients and those with negative surgical margins were independent prognostic factors for disease-specific survival.ConclusionA 10-year survival following initial hepatectomy should be defined as cure.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (160 K)Download as PowerPoint slide