Tumor histopathology predicts outcomes after resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases treated with and without pre-operative chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Study objectives, included determination of: (i) associations between radiologic and pathologic responses of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) to chemotherapy; and (ii) whether CRCLM histopathology is associated with recurrence free survival (RFS) after resection among patients not treated with pre-operative chemotherapy (untreated). METHODS: Demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and outcomes among patients who underwent CRCLM resection from 2007 to 2014 were reviewed. Tumor regression grade (TRG) of 1-2 and 4-5 depict low and high proportions of viable tumor relative to fibrosis, respectively. RESULTS: Of 138 patients, 84 (60.9%) were treated with pre-operative chemotherapy. In these patients, there was no difference in proportions with TRG 1-2 among those with verses without radiologic response (26.9% vs. 18.8%, P = 0.393). TRG 1-2 was associated with superior RFS on univariable (median 15 vs. 6 months, P < 0.001) and multivariable (P = 0.005) analyses. Radiologic response was not associated with RFS. Among untreated patients (n = 54), TRG 4-5 was associated with poor RFS on univariable (median 44 vs. 15 months, P = 0.011) and multivariable (P = 0.012) analyses. CONCLUSIONS: High proportions of CRCLM fibrosis occur in 20% of patients without radiologic response to chemotherapy. Among untreated patients, high proportion of viable tumor relative to fibrosis is associated with poor RFS after resection. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:456-462. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Imaging Surveillance of Hypervascular Liver Lesions in Non-Cirrhotic Patients.

A consensus surveillance protocol is lacking for non-cirrhotic patients with hypervascular liver lesions presumed to represent hepatocellular adenomas. Patients with hypervascular liver lesions <5 cm not meeting criteria for focal nodular hyperplasia or hepatocellular carcinoma underwent surveillance with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 6, 12, and 24 months after baseline imaging. If lesions remained stable or decreased in size, then surveillance imaging was discontinued. Between 2011 and 2014, 116 patients with hypervascular liver lesions were evaluated. Seventy-nine patients were eligible for the surveillance protocol. Median follow-up was 24 months (range, 1-144 months). One patient (1 %) continued oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use and presented with hemorrhage requiring embolization 5 months after initial diagnosis. Ten patients (13 %) underwent elective embolization or surgical resection for size ≥5 cm. The remaining 68 patients (86 %) continued surveillance without hemorrhage or malignant transformation. Risk factors for requiring intervention during the surveillance period included younger age, larger lesion size, and estrogen use (all p < 0.05). Patients with hepatocellular adenomas <5 cm can safely be observed after discontinuing OCP with serial imaging 6, 12, and 24 months after diagnosis. If lesions remain stable or decrease in size, then longer-term surveillance is unlikely to identify patients at risk for complications.