Natural History Studies and the Evolution of Regional Treatment Modalities for Patients Withy Isolated Liver Metastases from Primary Colon and Rectum Carcinoma

Abstract

Estimates for 1995 indicate that 150,000 cases of colon and rectum adenocarcinoma occurred in North America, 58,000 patients died of colorectal cancer, and 18,000 patients died with liver as the predominant or only site of metastatic disease from recurrent colon and rectum adenocarcinoma. Results from several trials can now better define the therapeutic and survival benefit of surgical resection, cryosurgical ablation, and intrahepatic arterial therapy in the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in the liver.