Liver Transplantation for Primary or Metastatic Sarcoma to the Liver

Sarcoma is generally a rare disease in the US, with poor survival in patients with both primary angiosarcoma and metastatic disease from sarcoma and GIST. In order to determine if liver transplantation for sarcoma is a realistic option, we examined records of all patients in the US component of the Israel Penn International Transplant Tumor Registry were reviewed. Those patients with liver failure from primary or metastatic liver sarcoma were evaluated. Patient outcome analysis was then performed. Patient and tumor demographics were reviewed as well as patient survival after transplantation. 19 patients are identified having received liver transplantation after treatment for sarcoma of the liver, 6 patients with primary hepatic sarcoma and 13 patients with metastatic sarcoma of the liver. Recurrence was almost universal in 18 of 19 patients (95%) after a median interval of 6 months. Survival for the group as a whole was 47% for 1-year, 15% for 3-years and 5% for 5-years. Given the early recurrence of tumor and meager 1-year survival outcome, liver transplantation is a poor therapeutic choice for patients with either primary or metastatic liver sarcoma, including high-grade leiomyosarcoma (GIST) regardless of primary site or primary therapy.     

肝移植治疗转移性肝癌临床价值及评价

肝移植是治疗部分不具备手术切除条件或者其他治疗方法无效的转移性肝癌病人的有效手段。由于不同来源的肝转移肿瘤行肝移植临床效果不同,临床上应严格把握手术适应证及治疗时机,以神经内分泌来源的肿瘤,尤其是类癌来源者肝移植效果最好,是目前转移性肝癌行肝移植手术的主要适应证,而结直肠癌肝转移行肝移植的价值还尚须进一步研究。目前,对于乳腺癌等其他肿瘤来源的转移性肝癌的报道较少。     

Resection Margins for Colorectal Metastases to The Liver: Do They Make A Difference?

Objective: The authors determined an appropriate surgical treatment for liver metastases from colorectal cancers. Clinicopathologic featuresof metastatic lesions of colorectal cancers were studied.Summary Background Data: Major hepatic resection is the usual procedure for treatment of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancers.Methods: Forty consecutive patients who underwent hepatic resections were prospectively studied, for a total of 89 metastatic liver tumors.Results: Metastatic tumor often extended along Glisson’s capsule, including invasion to the portal vein (9 cases), the hepatic vein (3 cases), the bile duct (16 cases), and the nerve (6 cases). The main tumor had small satellite nodules in only one patient, and there were no microscopic deposits in the parenchyma, even within 10 mm from the metastatic tumors. Fibrous pseudocapsule formation was observed in 28 patients.Discussion: The rarity of intrahepatic metastasis from metastatic tumor supports nonanatomic limited hepatic resection as the procedure of choice for metastatic colorectal cancer in the liver. The spread via Glisson''s capsule should be taken into consideration for complete tumor clearance.     

Liver resection for colorectal metastases

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the second commonest malignancy in the UK. Metastases to the liver occur in greater than 50% of patients and remain the biggest determinant of outcome in these patients. Liver resection is a safe procedure that achieves good long-term survival, but surgery has traditionally been limited to select groups of patients. The improved outcome suggests that more patients could benefit from resection if more was known of what criteria are predictive of a good outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients undergoing surgical resection of the liver for colorectal metastases between March 1989 and March 2001 in the Birmingham Liver Unit. RESULTS: During this period, 212 liver resections for colorectal cancer metastases were performed in 82 females and 130 males. The median follow-up was 16 months with an overall actuarial survival of 86% at 1 year, 54% at 3 years, and 28% at 5 years. The peri-operative mortality was 2.8%. The number and timing (metachronous or synchronous) of metastatic lesions, the gender of the patient, pathological staging of the primary lesion or surgical resection margins had no significant influence on survival. Patients with lesions less than 5 cm in size had a significantly prolonged survival compared with patients with lesions greater than 5 cm in size (P < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Liver resection is the only curative treatment for patients with colorectal metastases. The long-term survival reported in patients with resected colorectal metastases confined to the liver is comparable to primary surgery for solid gastrointestinal tumours. Every attempt must be made to increase the availability of liver resection to patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer.     

Liver metastases in prostate carcinoma: clinical characteristics and outcome

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with liver metastases in prostate carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1995 to December 2005, 345 patients with metastatic prostate cancer were prospectively recorded in the database of the Montpellier Cancer Centre, France. The clinical characteristics and outcome of 28 patients who developed liver metastases during the course of the disease were analysed. RESULTS: Six patients had liver metastases as the first site of metastatic disease, and for one of them, liver was the only metastatic site. All but one patient had hormone-refractory disease. Serum measurement of neuroendocrine markers showed increased levels of chromogranin A and neurone-specific enolase in 84% and 44% of patients, respectively. Six patients had a pathological analysis; there were two different histological patterns in liver biopsies, i.e. four were adenocarcinomas with a moderate (one patient) or poor (three) differentiation and two were neuroendocrine carcinomas. Three patients had no treatment because of a poor performance status. One patient had hormone therapy for synchronous liver metastases at diagnosis as the first-line treatment; other patients were treated with chemotherapy. The median (range) overall survival was 6 (1-27) months; the median survival of patients for whom liver was part of the initial metastatic pattern was 14 months. CONCLUSION: Liver metastases are not very rare but appear to be a rather late event in the course of the disease. They are frequently associated with neuroendocrine characteristics.     

Liver transplantation as treatment in a massive metastasis from Gruber-Frantz pancreatic tumor: a case report

The Gruber-Frantz tumor or solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas accounts for 1% to 2% of pancreatic tumors. It occurs more frequently among women between 20 and 40 years of age and in the Asian population. These tumors are of low malignant potential and show slow growth. The symptoms are subtle, the most striking being pain and an abdominal mass. The most common site is the pancreatic tail. The location and local invasion determine the surgical technique. With R0 resection, survival is 95% at 5 years. In 15% of cases metastatic disease appears, mostly in the liver. The treatment of liver metastases is surgical resection. In the case of multiple liver metastases, the treatment is controversial. QT has been used, as well as radiofrequency ablation, arterial embolization, and intraarterial chemotherapy. Herein we have described the case of a 44-year-old woman with massive liver metastases who did not respond to QT lines and underwent successful liver transplantation with survival free of recurrence at 1 year later. This is the first liver transplantation for a metastatic pancreatic pseudopapillary tumor in Spain and the second described in the literature.     

Sequential Preoperative Ipsilateral Portal and Arterial Embolization in Patients with Colorectal Liver Metastases

Background Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) induces ipsilateral atrophy of the hepatic parenchyma to be resected, as well as contralateral compensatory hypertrophy of the residual liver. However, there are two potential problems with this technique: inadequate contralateral hypertrophy and tumor progression while waiting for the non-embolized liver to hypertrophy. We devised a strategy to deal with these two problems by performing an ipsilateral hepatic artery embolization 6 weeks after an unsatisfactory PVE in an effort to accelerate the hypertrophy of the remnant liver. Materials and Methods Two patients with colorectal liver metastases underwent to this sequential preoperative treatment in order to achieve resectability of their metastatic disease. Results Both patients successfully underwent major hepatic resection. Conclusions In our experience sequential ipsilateral portal vein and hepatic artery embolization extended the indications for liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer.     

Extensive Surveillance Promotes Early Diagnosis and Improved Survival of De Novo Malignancies in Liver Transplant Recipients

The aim of our study was to examine whether an extensive surveillance protocol will promote early diagnosis and improved survival in patients with de novo cancer following liver transplantation (LT). Of 779 consecutive LT recipients, 96 (12.3%) developed 105 malignancies. The cumulative risk for the development of de novo cancer was 10%, 24%, 32% and 42% at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years after LT, respectively. The most frequent tumor types were skin (17%), lung (16%), oropharyngeal (11%) and prostate cancer (11%). The overall standard incidence ratio as compared to that of the general population was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.5–2.3). The median survival of patients with de novo non-skin cancers was 3.1 years after diagnosis. Only patients with skin cancers and solid tumors, diagnosed at early stages, showed an excellent outcome. After introducing an intensified surveillance protocol, the detection rate of de novo cancers increased from 4.9% to 13% and more de novo malignancies were diagnosed in earlier stages. For non-skin cancers, the median tumor-related survival significantly improved from 1.2 to 3.3 years as well as the median overall survival post-LT. This study indicates that an extensive tumor surveillance program is highly recommendable in LT recipients.     

Liver resection without hilus preparation and with selective intrahepatic hilus stapling for benign tumors and liver metastasis

Background Nowadays, liver resection is a routine operative procedure in surgical centers, and strategies must be aimed at avoiding additional risk factors. Extrahepatic isolation of portal vein, hepatic artery and hepatic duct, as well as lymphadenectomy of the liver hilum are generally accepted steps of liver resection, even for metastatic and benign indications. Our primary aim was to analyze the feasibility, blood loss, blood transfusion requirements, incidence of complications, and outcome using the approach for intrahepatic devascularization leaving the extrahepatic hilus untouched. Materials and methods Thirty-eight consecutive patients with resection for metastases and benign liver tumors were selected. After hilar examination, the extrahepatic structures remain intact, and during parenchyma dissection, the whole right or left or the appropriate bi-segmental pedicle is isolated intrahepatically and then transected using a stapler device. Results The used technique was feasible in all cases, and no intra- or postoperative surgical complications were observed. To date, no tumor recurrence was found in the hilum during the follow-up period. Conclusion The intrahepatic pedicle stapling technique appears to be feasible and safe in liver resection. Hilar dissection can, thus, be avoided in liver metastasis and benign liver tumors.     

Combined ''En Bloc'' Liver and Pancreas Transplantation in Patients with Liver Disease and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Liver disease alters the glucose metabolism and may cause diabetes, but this condition is potentially reversible with liver transplantation (LTx). Type 1 diabetes mellitus may be coincidentally present in a LTx candidate and immunosuppressive drugs will aggravate diabetes and make its management more difficult for posttransplant. In addition, diabetes negatively influences outcome after LTx. Therefore, the question arises as to why not transplanting the pancreas in addition to the liver in selected patients suffering from both liver disease and Type 1 diabetes. We report two cases of en bloc combined liver and pancreatic transplantation, a technique originally described a decade ago in the treatment of upper abdominal malignancies but rarely used for the treatment of combined liver disease and Type 1 diabetes. Both recipients are currently liver disease-free and insulin-free more than 2 and 4 years posttransplant, respectively. Surgical, medical and immunological aspects of combined liver-pancreas transplantation are discussed in the light of the existing relevant literature.     

Radiofrequency Ablation of Malignant Liver Tumors

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is being used to treat primary and metastatic liver tumors. The indications, treatment planning, and limitations of hepatic RFA must be defined and refined by surgeons treating hepatic malignancies.Methods: A review of the experience using RFA to treat unresectable primary and secondary hepatic malignancies at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and the G. Pascale National Cancer Institute in Naples, Italy, is provided. Patient selection, treatment approach, local recurrence rates, and overall cancer recurrence rates following RFA are described. The current literature on RFA of hepatic malignancies is reviewed.Results: RFA of hepatic tumors can be performed percutaneously, laparoscopically, or during an open surgical procedure. Incomplete treatment manifest as local recurrence is more common with a percutaneous approach. The morbidity and mortality rates associated with hepatic RFA are low. Local recurrence rates are low if meticulous treatment planning is performed. RFA can be combined safely with partial hepatic resection of large lesions. The long-term survival rates following RFA of primary and metastatic liver tumors have not yet been established.Conclusions: RFA of hepatic malignancies is a safe and promising technique to produce coagulative necrosis of unresectable hepatic malignancies. Experience with this treatment modality is not yet mature enough to establish long-term outcomes.     

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: an Asian perspective

Liver transplantation is an established treatment modality for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), creating a potential for disease-free, long-term survival. In Asia, due to a severe shortage of donors, resection remains the treatment of choice for patients with HCC and good liver functional reserve. The use of marginal donors, split liver grafts and grafts from living donors are potential solutions that are best performed in experienced liver transplant centres to ensure an optimal outcome. Ethical issues relating to living donor liver transplantation have yet to be fully addressed. The roles of therapies to limit tumour progression during the waiting period, such as transarterial chemoembolization, need to be further investigated in the setting of a prospective trial and their benefits better defined.     

Cryosurgery of primary and metastatic cancers of the liver]

Cryosurgery is a method of in situ destruction of tissue by a freezing process. Results of hepatic cryosurgery are now available for more than 2100 patients and allow to assess its place in the treatment of hepatic malignancies. Mechanisms of tissue destruction and indications of cryosurgery are detailed. With a peri-operative mortality rate of 1.5%, the safety of hepatic cryosurgery is now admitted. Cryosurgery has its own morbidity: increase of transaminases levels, platelets drop, myoglobinuria and rarely renal failure or cryoshock. In selected patients, hepatic cryosurgery is feasible with a laparoscopic or percutaneous approach. Long term results do not support cryosurgery as an alternative to liver resection. This technique enlarges possibilities of surgical treatment for patients with primary and metastatic liver cancers.     

Liver metastases in germ cell cancer: defining a role for surgery after chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical course and outcome of patients with germ cell cancer and liver metastases treated at one centre, as the presence of hepatic metastases, although rare, is a poor prognostic feature in germ cell cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case records of all patients with germ cell cancer and liver metastases at presentation, and treated with chemotherapy at a medical oncology unit between 1984 and 2001, were reviewed. The treatment regimens, tumour responses and patient outcome were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients with germ cell cancer metastatic to the liver were identified. Complete biochemical and radiological responses were achieved in eight patients after initial chemotherapy and surgery for non-hepatic residual disease. Seven patients had only residual radiological hepatic abnormalities with normal tumour markers at the completion of initial treatment. There were no immediate hepatic resections and no further therapy was given. Serial computed tomography (CT) confirmed a progressive reduction in the size of hepatic lesions in six of seven patients. The persistence of residual hepatic abnormalities was not predictive of relapse, and overall survival of these patients (median survival 49 months, range 15-120) compared well with recent reports of such patients who have undergone hepatic resection. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative management with regular assessment by CT is an acceptable alternative to immediate hepatic resection for patients with isolated residual radiological hepatic abnormalities on completing first-line therapy for metastatic germ cell cancer, and does not adversely affect their survival.     

Pathologic support for limited hepatectomy in the treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The authors determined an appropriate surgical treatment for liver metastases from colorectal cancers. Clinicopathologic features of metastatic lesions of colorectal cancers were studied. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Major hepatic resection is the usual procedure for treatment of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancers. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients who underwent hepatic resections were prospectively studied, for a total of 89 metastatic liver tumors. RESULTS: Metastatic tumor often extended along Glisson's capsule, including invasion to the portal vein (9 cases), the hepatic vein (3 cases), the bile duct (16 cases), and the nerve (6 cases). The main tumor had small satellite nodules in only one patient, and there were no microscopic deposits in the parenchyma, even within 10 mm from the metastatic tumors. Fibrous pseudocapsule formation was observed in 28 patients. DISCUSSION: The rarity of intrahepatic metastasis from metastatic tumor supports nonanatomic limited hepatic resection as the procedure of choice for metastatic colorectal cancer in the liver. The spread via Glisson's capsule should be taken into consideration for complete tumor clearance.     

Assessment of differential gene expression patterns in human colon cancers

OBJECTIVE: To use a novel genomic approach to determine differential gene expression patterns in colon cancers of different metastatic potential. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States; despite aggressive treatment strategies, the 5-year survival rate for metastatic cancer has not changed in 50 years. The analysis of changes in gene expression patterns associated with metastasis may provide new treatment strategies. METHODS: Human colon cancer cells KM12C (derived from a Dukes B colon cancer), KML4A (a metastatic variant derived from KM12C), and KM20 (derived from a Dukes D colon cancer) were extracted for RNA. In addition, RNA was extracted from normal colon, primary cancer, and liver metastasis in a patient with metastatic colon cancer. Gene expression patterns for approximately 1,200 human genes were analyzed and compared by cDNA array techniques. RESULTS: Of the roughly 1,200 genes assessed in the KM cell lines, 9 genes were noted to have a more than threefold change in expression (either increased or decreased) in the more metastatic KML4A and KM20 cells compared with KM12C. Assessment of tissues from a patient with metastatic colon cancer demonstrated a more than threefold change in the expression of 14 genes in the primary cancer and liver metastasis compared with normal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: Using cDNA expression array technology, the authors identified genes with expression levels that are altered with metastasis. The ability to analyze and compare the expression patterns of multiple genes simultaneously provides a powerful technique to identify potential molecular targets for novel therapeutic strategies.     

肿瘤血管生成与大肠癌肝转移

目的分析大肠癌肿瘤血管生成与转移、预后的关系。方法用免疫组化法检测６１例大肠癌手术标本肿瘤组织微血管密度（ＭＶＤ）、血管内皮生长因子（ＶＥＧＦ）的表达。结果ＭＶＤ计数为（２７０±８４）、ＶＥＧＦ表达为（５９７５±１２３６）％,二者与肝、淋巴结转移明显相关（Ｐ＜００１、Ｐ＜００５）。ＭＶＤ计数与术后生存率明显相关（Ｐ＜００１）。结论ＭＶＤ计数与大肠癌肝转移、生存率明显相关,可作为一个新的具有参考意义的预后判断指标。     

Ocular Manifestations and Complications of Pyogenic Liver Abscess

In anecdotal reports, septic metastatic lesions from a pyogenic liver abscess can result in endogenous endophthalmitis, an infection of intraocular contents. Recent reports suggest that this devastating complication is increasing in frequency. The initial presentation may be nonspecific and easily misdiagnosed by the surgical team. When the infecting organism is virulent, it tends to be rapidly progressive and often leads to permanent visual deterioration or blindness despite medical intervention. We conducted a study to determine the incidence of endophthalmitis associated with pyogenic liver abscess, to identify its associations, and to determine the outcome of treatment. A retrospective review of 289 patients with a clinical diagnosis of pyogenic liver abscess admitted between January 1995 and March 2001 revealed 10 patients (3.5%) with the complication of endogenous endophthalmitis. Among them, seven had a previous history of diabetes mellitus. The offending organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae in all cases. There was no mortality in this series. Final visual outcomes of our patients were as follows: Five had no light perception (two had undergone evisceration), one had light perception only, and four were able to visualize hand motion only. There is a trend toward a worse outcome when ocular symptoms are not diagnosed and treated within 24 hours of onset. Of the five patients who lost their eyesight completely, three were initially misdiagnosed, and referral to the ophthalmologist was delayed. Surgeons must be alert to the complication of endogenous endophthalmitis. Ocular symptoms in patients treated for pyogenic liver abscess must be referred early for an ophthalmologic consult. Increased awareness and a high index of suspicion are required for salvage of visual function.     

Liver metastases from breast cancer: long-term survival after curative resection

BACKGROUND: Liver metastases from breast cancer are associated with a poor prognosis (median survival < 6 months). A subgroup of these patients with no dissemination in other organs may benefit from surgery. Available data in the literature suggest that only in exceptional cases do these patients survive more than 2 years when given chemohormonal therapy or supportive care alone. We report the results of liver resection in patients with isolated hepatic metastases from breast cancer and evaluate the rate of long-term survival, prognostic factors, and the role of neoadjuvant high-dose chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over the past decade, 17 women underwent hepatic metastectomy with curative intent for metastatic breast cancer. The follow-up was complete in each patient. The median age at the time breast cancer was diagnosed was 48 years. Neoadjuvant high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with hematopoietic progenitor support was used in 10 patients before liver resection. Perioperative complications, long-term outcome, and prognostic factors were evaluated. RESULTS: Seven of the 17 patients are currently alive, with follow-up of up to 12 years. Four of these patients are free of tumors after 6 and 17 months and 6 and 12 years. The actuarial 5-year survival rate is 22%. One patient died postoperatively (mortality rate, 6%) of carmustine-induced fibrosing pneumonitis. There was no further major morbidity in the other patients. The liver was the primary site of recurrent disease after liver resection in 67% of the patients. Patients in whom liver metastases were found more than 1 year after resection of the primary breast cancer had a significantly better outcome than those with early (< 1 year) metastatic disease (P = .04). The type of liver resection, the lymph node status at the time of the primary breast cancer resection, and HDC had no significant impact on patient survival in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable 22% long-term survival can be achieved with metastasectomy in this selected group of patients. Careful evaluation of pulmonary toxicity from carmustine and exclusion of patients with extrahepatic disease are critical. Improved survival might be achieved with better selection of patients and the use of liver-directed adjuvant therapy.     

Laparoscopic versus Open Liver Resection: A Matched-Pair Case Control Study

Background  

Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has become an increasingly popular operation; however, its theoretical benefits remain unproven. The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative outcome study between LLR and matched-pair open liver resections (OLR).