Hepatic cryosurgery in treating colorectal metastases

• Published in: Cancer 1995-07, Vol.76 (2), p.210-214
• Main Authors: Weaver, M. Lance, Atkinson, Donald, Zemel, Reuben
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; colorectal cancer; colorectal metastases; Colorectal Neoplasms - surgery; Cryosurgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; hepatic cryosurgery; Humans; intraoperative ultrasound; Liver - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - secondary; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, portal circulation, spleen; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Recurrence; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Survival Analysis
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19950715)76:2<210::AID-CNCR2820760208>3.0.CO;2-S

Background. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cryosurgery as an adjunct to resection in treating patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma. Methods. Forty‐seven patients with documented metastases limited to the liver from colorectal adenocarcinoma were treated with cryosurgery with or without resection from Novermber 1987 to February 1992 and were followed until February 1994. Intraoperative ultrasound was used to map the lesions and place the cryoprobes. Each lesion was frozen to – 196° centigrade for 15 minutes, thawed for 10 minutes, and frozen again for 15 minutes. Follow‐up computed tomographic scans were obtained before hospital discharg and 6 months and 1 year after cryosurgery. Carcinoembryonic antigen levels were obtained monthly. Results. Thiry‐one males and 16 females, with a median age of 63 years, were treated. The median hospital stay was 10 days, and follow‐up ranged from 24 to 57 months, with a median follow‐up of 26 months. The actual survival at 24 months was 62%. Eleven percent of these patients had no evidence of disease at a median follow‐up of 30 months. Complications included myoglobinuria, coagulopathy, pleural effusion, and bile duct injuries. Two patients (4%) died because of multisystem organ failure with irreversible coagulopathies. Conclusions. Crysurgical ablation increases the number of patients with liver metastases who potentially can become disease free. However, the effect on overall survival will require a longer follow‐up period. Cancer 1995;76;210–4.