Long-Term Survival After Liver Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases in Patients With Hepatic Pedicle Lymph Nodes Involvement in the Era of New Chemotherapy Regimens

Background: Survival benefit, in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM) and hepatic pedicle lymph nodes (HPLN) involvement along the common hepatic artery and celiac axis (area 2 or distal) has not been observed. However, these results are based oil historical series, using suboptimal chemotherapy drugs. Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of HPLN involvement oil survival after resection for CLM in the era of the new chemotherapy regimens. Patients and Methods: Between January 2000 and June 2006, 45 high risk consecutive patients presenting all with pathologically proven HPLN metastases were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Prognostic factors for survival and recurrence were analyzed. Results: The mean follow-up was 25.5 months. HPLN involvement was located in area 1 in 17 patients, area 2 in 10, and both area 1 and 2 were involved in 18 patients. The overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 29.7% and 17.3%, respectively. The median survival was 20.9 months. Three patients are alive and disease-free at 32.4, 33.5, and 46.9 months, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that the carcinoembryonic antigen blood level before hepatectomy, a curative intent R, liver resection, the ratio of involved/total resected HPLN, and an adjuvant chemotherapy after liver resection were independent risk factors for overall survival. Conclusions: This study showed that the localization of HPLN metastases within area I or 2 does not anymore affect survival after CLM resection. Furthermore, this study provides a support to perform a routine HPLN dissection in high risk patients undergoing liver resection for CLM to recognize HPLN involvement, to improve the ratio of involved/total resected lymph nodes, and to assign the patients for all adjuvant chemotherapy. Finally, these results indicate that curative intent R, liver resection with HPLN dissection can offer the only potential cure for patients with CLM who present with HPLN involvement.