Characteristics of Five-year Survivors After Liver Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases in Modern Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether modern chemotherapy has changed characteristics of actual five-year survivors after liver resection for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of 210 patients, who underwent curative liver resection for CRLM at our institution between January 1990 and May 2014, were reviewed. The patients treated before 2004 when modern chemotherapy was not introduced were compared with the patients treated after 2005. RESULTS: Actual five-year survivor rates were significantly higher after 2005 (33.3% vs. 49.0%, p=0.022). Preoperative characteristics of actual five-year survivors were not different. The median survival time after non-resectable recurrence was significantly longer after 2005 (20.3 vs. 8.7 months, p=0.002). The proportion of 5-year survivors with recurrent site was significantly higher after 2005 (34.0% vs. 10.5%, p=0.019). CONCLUSION: Actual five-year survivors have increased by modern chemotherapy. However, approximately one-third of them were not cured.