Role of surgery in the treatment of liver metastases from colo-rectal cancer in the elderly

Aim of the study Liver metastases from carcinoma of the colon-rectum (CCR) develop in about 50% of patients undergoing resection of primary tumor and about 15–25% of patients had synchronous metastases at presentation. In the absence of surgical treatment, survival 1 year after diagnosis is 30% and is less than 5% at 5 years. The 5-year survival after resection varies from 20 to 54%, while the value of post-operative mortality is currently less than 5%. Resection should be considered for all patients with disease confined to the liver where there is a real possibility of radical resection and maintaining a proper liver function. Currently, the average age of patients undergoing resection is over 60 years. At the same time we are witnessing an expansion of that surgery in patients older than 70 years. This retrospective work is to evaluate whether age may be a limit to liver surgery, and which clinical-pathological factors are predictive of outcome in the medium to long term.