Metastatic neuroendocrine hepatic tumors: resection improves survival

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for hepatic metastases from neuroendocrine tumors remains controversial because of the often indolent nature of these tumors. We sought to determine the effect of 3 major treatment modalities including medical therapy, hepatic artery embolization, and surgical resection, ablation, or both in patients with liver-only neuroendocrine metastases, with the hypothesis that surgical treatment is associated with improvement in survival. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Patients with metastatic liver-only neuroendocrine tumors were identified from hospital records. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were subdivided into those receiving medical therapy, hepatic artery embolization, or surgical management. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effect of treatment on survival and palliation of symptoms was analyzed. RESULTS: From January 1996 through May 2004, 48 patients with liver-only neuroendocrine metastases were identified (median follow-up, 20 months), including 36 carcinoid and 12 islet cell tumors. Seventeen patients were treated conservatively, which consisted of octreotide (n = 7), observation (n = 6), or systemic chemotherapy (n = 4). Hepatic artery embolization was performed in 18 patients. Thirteen patients underwent surgical therapy, including anatomical liver resection (n = 6), ablation (n = 4), or combined resection and ablation (n = 3). No difference was noted in the percentage of liver involved with tumor between the 3 groups. An association of improved survival was noted in patients treated surgically, with a 3-year survival of 83% for patients treated by surgical resection, compared with 31% in patients treated with medical therapy or embolization (P = .01). No difference in palliation of symptoms was noted among the 3 treatment groups (P = .2). CONCLUSION: In patients with liver-only neuroendocrine metastases, surgical therapy using resection, ablation, or both is associated with improved survival.     

Liver resection and transplantation — Therapeutic concepts in surgical treatment of hepatic metastases

Summary Background: Surgical procedures such as liver resection or liver transplantation are the only treatment modalities that provide a chance of cure for patients with liver metastases. Methods: This report reviews results of liver resection and liver transplantation for liver metastases from colorectal cancer and neuroendocrine tumors as compared to the natural course. Results: Overall 5 year survival after curative liver resection for colorectal metastases ranges between 25 and 48%. The operative mortality is between 0 and 5%. Risk factors for tumor recurrence are more or less defined. Reresections of metastases can be performed with comparable mortality rates and results. Liver transplantation for unresectable colorectal metastases offers a median survival of 28 months, but the chance of cure only for individual patients. Exclusion of patients with positive lymph nodes of the primary tumor improves median survival. As there are alternative treatment options for neuroendocrine metastases, indication for liver resection or transplantation is not clearly defined, but the chance of cure by means of surgical treatment should not be missed. Curative resections of neuroendocrine liver metastases can achieve 5-year survival rates of more than 80%. Conclusions: Radical surgical removal of liver metastases from colorectal and neuroendocrine cancer can improve the prognosis for selected patients. Further improval is expected from a multimodal approach.      

Surgical treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer

We analyze our experience over a 10-year period in the surgical treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Between 01.01.1995 and 08.31.2005 189 liver resections were performed in 171 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer (16 re-resections - 2 in the same patient and a "two-stage" liver resection in 2 patients). In our series there were 83 patients with synchronous liver metastases (69 simultaneous resections, 12 delayed resections and 2 "two-stage" liver resection were performed) and 88 metachronous liver metastases. Almost all types of liver resections have been performed. The morbidity and mortality rates were 17.4% and 4.7%, respectively. Median survival was 28.5 months and actuarial survival at 1-, 3- and 5-year was 78.7%, 40.4% and 32.7%, respectively. Between January 2002 and August 2005 hyperthermic ablation of colorectal cancer liver metastases has been performed in 6 patients; in other 5 patients with multiple bilobar liver metastases liver resection was associated with radiofrequency ablation and one patient underwent only radiofrequency ablation for recurrent liver metastasis. In conclusion, although the treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases is multimodal (resection, ablation, chemotherapy and radiation therapy), liver resection is the only potential curative treatment. The quality and volume of remnant liver parenchyma is the only limitation of liver resection. The morbidity, mortality and survival rates after simultaneous liver and colorectal resection are similar with those achieved by delayed resection. Postoperative outcome of patients with major hepatic resection is correlated with the surgical team experience. The long-term survival was increased using the new multimodal treatment schemes.     

Surgical management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

This study outlines the surgical management and clinicopathological findings of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (P-NETs). There are various surgical options, such as enucleation of the tumor, spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy, distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, pancreatoduodenectomy, and duodenum-preserving pancreas head resection. Lymph node dissection is performed for malignant cases. New guidelines and classifications have been proposed and are now being used in clinical practice. However, there are still no clear indications for organ-preserving pancreatic resection or lymph node dissection. Hepatectomy is the first choice for liver metastases of well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma without extrahepatic metastases. On the other hand, cisplatin-based combination therapy is performed as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. Other treatment options are radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization/embolization, and liver transplantation. Systematic chemotherapy and biotherapy, such as that with somatostatin analogue and interferon-α, are used for recurrence after surgery. The precise surgical techniques for enucleation of the tumor and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy are described.     

Liver Resection for Noncolorectal,Nonneuroendocrine Metastases

In noncolorectal, nonendocrine liver metastases, the role of surgery is less define than in colorectal or neuroendocrine cancer. This role is marginal as liver is not the primary site of metastases of these cancers. Less than 2 to 5% of the patients with these malignancies might be one day considered as potential candidates for liver resection, as most patients suffer from extra hepatic tumour spread at the time they develop liver involvement. However, in these few cases with liver metastases only, as no other therapeutic option may provide mid-or long-term tumour-free survival, liver resection is indicated in resectable liver metastases. Some prognostic factors have been established in the literature from the few published series: unique versus multiple hepatic metastases, unilobar vs bilobar, metachronous vs synchronous, R0 vs R1 or R2 liver resections. The type of primary tumour is also of great importance, as cutaneous melanoma, pancreatic and gastric adenocarcinoma have a very bad prognosis for liver resection of metastases, even after R0 resection. In these cases, percutaneous or laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation may find its place. In sarcoma, breast carcinoma, uveal melanoma, and genitourinary cancers, liver resection may provide satisfactory long-term results in selected cases, and is the standard of care for isolated, resectable metastasis. However, due to the scarcity of indication of liver resection for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases, the decision should be multidisciplinary, and the patients should be informed of the advantages and pitfalls of the surgical procedure.     

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??Interventional and thermal ablation in the treatment of liver metastases of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms WU Meng-fei*??SONG Hua-dan??LIU Xiao-yu??et al. *Department of Interventional Radiology??Zhongshan Hospital??Fudan University??Shanghai 200032??China
Corresponding author??LIU Ling-xiao??E-mail??liu.lingxiao@zs-hospital.sh.cn
Abstract Objective To assess the efficacy and prognostic factors of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and thermal ablation for liver metastases ??LM??of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs). Methods From May 2006 to December 2017??45 patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with liver metastases who underwent TACE and radiofrequency ablation in Zhongshan Hospital??Fudan University were analyzed retrospectively. Results No procedure-related deaths in all 45 patients. The median OS was 60.1 months. And the median PFS was 18.3 months. The 1-??3-??5-and 7-year OS rate was 83.8%, 65.3%, 52.9% and 37.0%??respectively. The effective rate of TACE and thermal ablation therapy were 71.5% and 96.2%. COX multivariate analysis showed that primary tumor resection (HR=0.358??95%CI 0.136-0.941??P=0.037) was independent prognostic factors for overall survival time. The 5-year OS rate of patients with primary lesion resection versus without primary lesion resection was 70.9% versus 32.5%. Conclusion TACE and thermal ablation may be effective in patients with LM of pNENs.     

Liver resection for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases

In noncolorectal, nonendocrine liver metastases, the role of surgery is less define than in colorectal or neuroendocrine cancer. This role is marginal as liver is not the primary site of metastases of these cancers. Less than 2 to 5% of the patients with these malignancies might be one day considered as potential candidates for liver resection, as most patients suffer from extra hepatic tumour spread at the time they develop liver involvement. However, in these few cases with liver metastases only, as no other therapeutic option may provide mid- or long-term tumour-free survival, liver resection is indicated in resectable liver metastases. Some prognostic factors have been established in the literature from the few published series: unique versus multiple hepatic metastases, unilobar vs bilobar, metachronous vs synchronous, R0 vs R1 or R2 liver resections. The type of primary tumour is also of great importance, as cutaneous melanoma, pancreatic and gastric adenocarcinoma have a very bad prognosis for liver resection of metastases, even after R0 resection. In these cases, percutaneous or laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation may find its place. In sarcoma, breast carcinoma, uveal melanoma, and genitourinary cancers, liver resection may provide satisfactory long-term results in selected cases, and is the standard of care for isolated, resectable metastasis. However, due to the scarcity of indication of liver resection for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases, the decision should be multidisciplinary, and the patients should be informed of the advantages and pitfalls of the surgical procedure.     

Neuroendocrine hepatic metastases: does aggressive management improve survival?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether aggressive management of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases improves survival. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Survival in patients with carcinoid and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is significantly better than adenocarcinomas arising from the same organs. However, survival and quality of life are diminished in patients with neuroendocrine hepatic metastases. In recent years, aggressive treatment of hepatic neuroendocrine tumors has been shown to relieve symptoms. Minimal data are available, however, to document improved survival with this approach. METHODS: The records of patients with carcinoid (n = 84) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (n = 69) managed at our institution from January 1990 through July 2004 were reviewed. Eighty-four patients had malignant tumors, and hepatic metastases were present in 60 of these patients. Of these 60 patients, 23 received no aggressive treatment of their liver metastases, 19 were treated with hepatic resection and/or ablation, and 18 were managed with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) frequently (n = 11) in addition to resection and/or ablation. These groups did not differ with respect to age, gender, tumor type, or extent of liver involvement. RESULTS: Median and 5-year survival were 20 months and 25% for the Nonaggressive group, >96 months and 72% for the Resection/Ablation group, and 50 months and 50% for the TACE group. The survival for the Resection/Ablation and the TACE groups was significantly better (P < 0.05) when compared with the Nonaggressive group. Patients with more than 50% liver involvement had a poor outcome (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that aggressive management of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases does improve survival, that chemoembolization increases the patient population eligible for this strategy, and that patients with more than 50% liver involvement may not benefit from an aggressive approach.     

介入和热消融治疗胰腺神经内分泌肿瘤肝转移临床疗效及预后因素分析

目的 评估介入及热消融治疗胰腺神经内分泌肿瘤肝转移的临床疗效及预后因素。方法 回顾性分析2006年5月至2017年12月于复旦大学附属中山医院接受经肝动脉化疗栓塞（TACE）及热消融治疗的45例胰腺神经内分泌肿瘤肝转移病人的临床资料。结果 45例病人中无治疗相关死亡病例。中位总生存期（OS）为60.1（95%CI 14.181~106.086）个月,中位无进展生存时间（PFS）为18.3（95%CI 13.078~23.589）个月。1、3、5和7年总存活率分别为83.8%、65.3%、52.9%和37.0%。TACE的总有效率为71.5%,热消融治疗的总有效率为96.2%。COX多因素分析提示原发病灶切除是总生存期的独立预后因素（HR=0.358,95%CI 0.136~0.9412,P=0.037）,原发病灶切除病人5年存活率为70.9%,而未行原发病灶切除者为32.5%。结论 TACE和热消融治疗对胰腺神经内分泌肿瘤肝转移病人安全有效。     

Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of neuroendocrine liver metastases: a 10-year experience evaluating predictors of survival

BACKGROUND: A decade ago we reported the first use of laparoscopic radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) for the treatment of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases. This study analyzes our 10-year experience and determines characteristics predictive of survival. METHODS: Eighty RFA sessions were performed in 63 patients with neuroendocrine hepatic metastases in a prospective trial. All patients had unresectable disease with computed tomography (CT) documented lesion and/or symptom progression. Perioperative morbidity, symptom relief, disease progression, and long-term survival were analyzed. Data are expressed as mean +/- standard error of the mean (SEM). RESULTS: There were 22 women and 41 men, age 54.4 +/- 1.5 years followed for 2.8 +/- 0.3 years (range, 0.1 to 7.8). Tumor types included 36 carcinoid, 18 pancreatic islet cell, and 9 medullary thyroid cancer. RFA was performed 1.6 +/- 0.3 years after the diagnosis of liver metastases. Number of lesions treated was 6 +/- 0.5 (range, 1 to 16). Forty-nine patients underwent 1 ablation session, and 14 (22%) had repeat sessions caused by disease progression. Mean hospital stay was 1.1 days. Perioperative morbidity was 5%, with no 30-day mortality. Fifty-seven percent of patients exhibited symptoms. One week postoperatively 92% of these reported at least partial symptom relief, and 70% had significant or complete relief. Duration of symptom control was 11 +/- 2.3 months. CT follow-up demonstrated 6.3% local tumor recurrence. Larger dominant liver tumor size and male gender adversely impacted survival (P < .05). Median survival times were 11.0 years postdiagnosis of primary tumor, 5.5 years postdiagnosis of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases, and 3.9 years post-1st RFA. Survival for patients undergoing repeat ablation sessions was not significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest series of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases treated by RFA. In this group of patients with aggressive neuroendocrine tumor metastases and limited treatment options, RFA provides effective local control with prompt symptomatic improvement.     

Local ablative treatments for liver metastases: the current situation

Surgical resection is the optimal treatment for liver metastases. However, due to their multifocality and/or insufficient remnant liver volume, the majority of liver metastases are unresectable. For this reason, several local ablative techniques have been developed, aiming to produce selective tumour destruction and thus increase the rate of patients amenable to curative-intent treatments. Among these techniques, cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation only have proven to have a curative potential, while transarterial chemoembolization and alcohol injection should be considered as palliative options only. The local recurrences after cryoablation and radiofrequency are equivalent, inferior to 10%, highly dependent of selection criteria. In contrast, morbidity is significantly increased after cryoablation, leading most of the teams to prefer the radiofrequency approach. Two major limitations for radiofrequency are, first, the risk to provoke heat biliary lesion in case of metastases located proximally to hilar plate, and second, the risk of insufficient ablation due to a cooling effect in case of metastases near to major vessels. Keeping in mind these limitations, selective use of radiofrequency may offer a significant benefit by allowing complete tumour clearance in patients with unresectable liver metastases.     

Malignant liver tumours

Malignant liver tumours can be primary or secondary. The most common primary malignant liver tumours are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC), while the colorectal and neuroendocrine liver metastases account for the majority of secondary tumours.HCC tends to arise in patients with cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis or alcohol. Diagnosis is usually made on a raised α-fetoprotein and CT and MRI. Treatment options include hepatic resection, transplantation, percutaneous ablation and transarterial chemo-embolization. Treatment is dependent on the Child’s status of the patient, extent of liver disease and the presence of metastatic disease.IHC accounts for 10% of cholangiocarcinomas. Risk factors include primary sclerosing cholangitis and choledochal cysts. Liver resection offers the only chance for cure in these patients.Secondary liver tumours account for 95% of hepatic malignancies, the most common being colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). CRLM are detected during surveillance following surgery for the primary tumour. Liver resection is potentially curative, and more patients are being subjected to liver resection following down-staging of the disease with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Surgery offers a potential cure for liver tumours. Recent medical advances have made treatment of malignant liver tumours safer and potentially curative.     

经皮热消融与肝切除手术治疗小肝癌效果的系统评价

目的：系统评价经皮热消融和肝切除手术治疗小肝癌的效果。方法：通过检索国内外文献数据库,收集关于经皮热消融和手术切除治疗小肝癌的随机对照临床试验。按Cochrane系统评价的方法评价纳入研究的治疗,用RevMan 5.1.17软件对资料进行统计分析。结果：共纳入4篇随机对照临床研究,共683例患者,其中经皮热消融组340例,手术切除组343例。Meta分析结果表明,两种方法治疗后1,3年总生存率,1年无瘤生存率,1年局部肿瘤复发率无统计学差异（均P>0.05）;手术切除组的3年无瘤生存率和2年局部肿瘤复发率优于经皮热消融患组（均P<0.05）;经皮热消融组主要并发症发生率明显低于手术切除组（P<0.05）,且经皮热消融组治疗的住院时间短、费用低、患者全身状况更好。结论：经皮热消融治疗小肝癌的近期疗效与手术切除相似,但手术切除治疗小肝癌的远期疗效优于热消融治疗。     

Local Ablative Treatments for Liver Metastases: The Current Situation

Surgical resection is the optimal treatment for liver metastases. However, due to their multifocality and/or insufficient remnant liver volume, the majority of liver metastases are unresectable. For this reason, several local ablative techniques have been developed, aiming to produce selective tumour destruction and thus increase the rate of patients amenable to curative-intent treatments. Among these techniques, cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation only have proven to have a curative potential, while transarterial chemoembolization and alcohol injection should be considered as palliative options only. The local recurrences after cryoablation and radiofrequency are equivalent, inferior to 10%, highly dependent of selection criteria. In contrast, morbidity is significantly increased after cryoablation, leading most of the teams to prefer the radiofrequency approach. Two major limitations for radiofrequency are, first, the risk to provoke heat biliary lesion in case of matastases located proximally to hilar plate, and second, the risk of insufficient ablation due to a cooling effect in case of metastases near to major vessels. Keeping in mind these limitations, selective use of radiofrequency may offer a significant benefit by allowing complete tumour clearance in patients with unre-sectable liver metastases.     

The detection and management of complications following the treatment of liver metastases

Whilst once considered as incurable systemic disease, treatment options for liver metastases have increased over the last 30 years and safety has improved dramatically, such that for a selected group of patients the hope of cure can now be offered with radical treatment and low morbidity interventions can be offered which prolong survival, even in patients with more widely disseminated disease. Advances have been made in selection and surgical technique for liver resection and several adjuncts to resection now exist in the form of portal vein embolization, thermal ablation and targeted drug or radiotherapy delivery options. A natural consequence of these developments has been the delivery of services within fewer specialist units, with the result that later complications of therapy may present to local hospitals, rather than directly to the specialist centres. This article will describe the current common liver directed therapies and outline the presentation and management of their complications.     

The detection and management of complications following the treatment of liver metastases

While once considered as incurable systemic disease, treatment options for liver metastases have increased over the last 30 years and safety has improved dramatically, such that for a selected group of patients the hope of cure can now be offered with radical treatment, and low morbidity interventions can be offered which prolong survival, even in patients with more widely disseminated disease. Advances have been made in selection and surgical technique for liver resection and several adjuncts to resection now exist in the form of portal vein embolization, thermal ablation and targeted drug or radiotherapy delivery options. A natural consequence of these developments has been the delivery of services within fewer specialist units, with the result that later complications of therapy may present to local hospitals, rather than directly to the specialist centres. This article will describe the current common liver-directed therapies and outline the presentation and management of their complications.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma: multimodality management

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common tumors worldwide. Surgical resection has been the standard treatment but can only be applied to a small percentage of patients. In recent years, several other treatment options, including ablative procedures and transplantation, have been used in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: For 6 years, 110 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were managed at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Fifty-five patients received only chemotherapy (n = 5) or palliative treatment (n = 50) because of advanced cirrhosis (P <.03) or tumor. Thirty-one patients had tumor ablation with percutaneous ethanol injection, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, or arterial chemoembolization. Twenty-eight patients underwent surgical resection (n = 18) or hepatic transplantation (n = 10). Relatively more patients (38%; P <.001) were treated with ablation in the second period of the study (1998-2000). RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 3% with ablation and 0% with resection. Median survival was 6 months with no treatment, 27 months with ablation (P <.001), and 35 months with resection (P <.001). Patients who underwent liver transplantation had the longest median survival (53 months). A multivariate analysis suggested that treatment modality (ablation or resection; P <.001) and Child-Pugh classification (P <.01) were the most important factors predicting outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma requires multidisciplinary expertise and that ablation and operation can be performed safely. Outcome is influenced most by treatment modality and Child-Pugh classification. Patients in Child-Pugh classes A and B should be treated with ablation, surgical resection, or liver transplantation.     

Treatment of liver metastases in patients with neuroendocrine tumors

Background: Hepatic metastases of neuroendocrine tumors demand differentiated therapeutic management due to the unique natural course and hormone secretion of the tumors. Aim: The purpose of the prospective nonrandomized study was to review the institutional experience with surgical treatment of hepatic neuroendocrine metastases. Patients and methods: From September 1992 until March 1996 29 consecutive patients with neuroendocrine tumors have been evaluated for surgical treatment of liver metastases. Of them, 11 (37.9%) fulfilled criteria for surgical treatment of hepatic secondary tumors. Extensive preoperative workup was carried out. Patients were divided in groups for curative or palliative resection. Liver transplantation was carried out in selected patients with disseminated liver metastases. Results: Of 29 patients 4 (13.7%) underwent curative resection and in 3 patients (10.3%) palliative resection was performed. The patients who underwent curative resection are all biochemically and clinically tumor free at a mean postoperative follow-up of 22.3 months. Two patients who underwent palliative resection are alive at 40 and 29 months, respectively. From 12 patients evaluated for liver transplantation 4 were considered as suitable candidates. Conclusions: Liver resection can be recommended in patients with hepatic metastases of neuroendocrine tumors in terms of potential survival prolongation and palliation. Liver transplantation is generally acceptable treatment in highly selected group of these patients. Long-term results have to be awaited before definitive proof of the beneficial effect of surgical treatment. Received: 14 November 1997     

Resection of liver metastases from breast cancer: towards a management guideline

In selected patients with colorectal and neuroendocrine liver metastases, the outcome of liver resection is well established with 5-year survival rates ranging from 25% to 60%. However, the role of liver resection for non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine (NCRCE) liver metastases has not been fully established. Liver metastases in breast cancer are common and a small number of those patients may be suitable for surgical resection. There have been some case series with low mortality and morbidity and prolonged survival after liver resection. We performed this review to evaluate the overall and disease free survival after liver resections for breast metastases. Extensive search of Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane database was performed and data was analysed. Although mostly case series with smaller number of patients, outcome has been comparable to colorectal liver metastases in selected group of patients with 5 years survival rate at the range of 20%-60% with main prognostic factors of being the absence of extrahepatic disease (in exception of isolated pulmonary and bony metastasis) and to achieve an R0 resection.     

Comparison of resection and radiofrequency ablation for treatment of solitary colorectal liver metastases

BACKGROUND: Liver resection is the treatment of choice for patients with solitary colorectal liver metastases. In recent years, however, radiofrequency ablation has been used increasingly in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases. In the absence of randomized clinical trials, this study aimed to compare outcome in patients with solitary colorectal liver metastases treated by surgery or by radiofrequency ablation. METHODS: Solitary colorectal liver metastases were treated by radiofrequency destruction in 25 patients. The indications were extrahepatic disease in seven, vessel contiguity in nine and co-morbidity in nine patients. Outcome was compared with that of 20 patients who were treated by liver resection for solitary metastases and had no evidence of extrahepatic disease. Most patients in both groups also received systemic chemotherapy. RESULTS: Median survival after liver resection was 41 (range 0-97) months with a 3-year survival rate of 55.4 per cent. There was one postoperative death and morbidity was minimal. Median survival after radiofrequency ablation was 37 (range 9-67) months with a 3-year survival rate of 52.6 per cent. CONCLUSION: Survival after resection and radiofrequency ablation of solitary colorectal liver metastases was comparable. The latter is less invasive and requires either an overnight stay or day-case facilities only.