Multimodal Management of Colorectal Liver Metastases: State of the Art

Abstract

Liver is the most common site of colorectal cancer (CRC) metastases. Treatment of CRC liver metastases (CRLM) includes different strategies, prevalently based on the clinical and oncological intent. Valid approaches in liver-limited or liver-prevalent disease include surgery, percutaneous ablative procedures (radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation), intra-arterial perfusional techniques (chemo-embolization, radio-embolization) as well as stereotactic radiotherapy. Systemic treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other biological agents, are the only options for patients with no chance of locoregional approaches. The use of chemotherapy in other settings, such as neoadjuvant, adjuvant or conversion therapy of CRLM, is commonly accepted in the clinical practice, although data from several clinical trials have been mostly inconclusive. The optimal integration of all these strategies, when applicable and clinically indicated, should be ever considered in patients affected by CRLM based on clinical evidence and multidisciplinary experience. Here we revised in detail all the possible therapeutic approaches of CRLM focusing on the current evidences, the studies still in progress and the often contradictory data.

Keywords: CRC; chemotherapy; colorectal cancer; liver metastases; multimodal management.