Patterns of failure in patients with early onset (synchronous) resectable liver metastases from rectal cancer

Discovery of primary lung cancer following resection of rectal cancer lung metastasis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks high among the most common types of malignant tumors. The primary cause of cancer-related mortality is metastasis, with lung metastases accounting for 32.9% of all cases of metastatic CRC (MCRC). However, cases of MCRC in the lungs, which present concurrently with primary peripheral lung adenocarcinoma, are exceptionally rare.

CASE SUMMARY

This report describes the case of a 52-year-old female patient who, following a colonoscopy, was diagnosed with moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma based on rectal mucosal biopsy findings. A preoperative chest computed tomography scan revealed a ground-glass nodule in the right lung and a small nodule (approximately 0.6 cm in diameter) in the extramural basal segment of the left lower lobe, which suggested multiple lung metastases from rectal cancer. Subsequent treatment and follow-up led to a diagnosis of rectal cancer with left lung metastasis and peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lower lobe of the right lung.

CONCLUSION

This case report describes the therapeutic journey of a patient with lung metastasis from rectal cancer in addition to primary peripheral adenocarcinoma, thus underscoring the critical roles of multidisciplinary collaboration, personalized treatment strategies, and comprehensive patient rehabilitation guidance.

Liver-first approach to the treatment of patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The optimal approach to the treatment of colorectal carcinoma and synchronous liver metastases remains controversial. The objective of this review was to analyze the outcomes of adopting the liver-first approach for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer with synchronous hepatic metastases who initially underwent systemic chemotherapy and/or resection of the metastatic lesions and primary colorectal carcinoma.

METHODS

This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for the identification and retrieval of eligible studies. Studies that included details of using the liver-first approach for the treatment of synchronous liver metastases of colorectal cancer and its outcomes, including the patients' survival data, were included. Proportional meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects restricted maximum likelihood method to summarize the three- and five-year overall survival and recurrence rates of the patients.

RESULTS

Eight hundred and fifty-five articles describing the results of studies on the liver-first approach were identified. Three independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the articles and excluded 750 articles. Thereafter, 29 retrospective and comparative studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. No randomized controlled trials were identified in the database search.

CONCLUSION

Neoadjuvant treatment with systemic chemotherapy for hepatic metastasis can prepare a patient for resection of liver metastases, offering the opportunity for potentially curative treatment of synchronous hepatic metastases initially considered unresectable. The decision regarding the resection of primary colorectal carcinoma and liver metastases should be based on individualized patient response. Prospero database registration ID: CRD42022337047 (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero).

Active involvement of patients, radiation oncologists, and surgeons in a multidisciplinary team approach: Guiding local therapy in recurrent, metastatic rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite the extensive implementation of an organized multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach in cancer treatment, there is little evidence regarding the optimal format of MDT. We aimed to investigate the impact of patient participation in MDT care on the actual application rate of metastasis-directed local therapy.

METHODS

We identified all 1211 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy at a single institution from 2006 to 2018. Practice patterns, tumor burden and OMD state were analyzed in recurrent, metastatic cases.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 60.7 months, 281 patients developed metastases, and 96 (34.2%), 92 (32.7%), and 93 (33.1%) patients had 1, 2-5, and >5 lesions, respectively. In our study, 27.1% were managed in the MDT clinic that mandated the participation of at least four to five board-certified multidisciplinary experts and patients in decision-making processes, while the rest were managed through diverse MDT approaches such as conferences, tumor board meetings, and discussions conducted via phone calls or email. Management in MDT clinic was significantly associated with more use of radiotherapy (p = 0.003) and more sessions of local therapy (p < 0.001). At the time of MDT clinic, the number of lesions was 1, 2-5, and >5 in 9 (13.6%), 35 (53.1%), and 19 (28.8%) patients, respectively. The most common states were repeat OMD (28.8%) and de novo OMD (27.3%), followed by oligoprogression (15%) and induced OMD (10.6%).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that active involvement of patients and radiation oncologists, and surgeons in MDT care has boosted the probability of using local therapies for various types of OMD throughout the course of the disease.

The value of diffusion kurtosis imaging and intravoxel incoherent motion quantitative parameters in predicting synchronous distant metastasis of rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The incidence and mortality rate of rectal cancer are still high, the metastasis of rectal cancer are main causes of death. The control of the distant metastasis is one of the main concerns in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer, but there are few studies on predicting synchronous distant metastasis (SDM) of rectal cancer.

METHOD

The data of patients with rectal adenocarcinoma confirmed by endoscopic biopsy or postoperative pathology from September 2015 to May 2020 in hospital A (center 1) and hospital B (center 2) were analyzed retrospectively, including age, sex, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, tumor location, tumor length, image staging and characteristics. The average age of the 169 patients consisting of 105 males and 64 females in study is 61.2 years. All patients underwent rectal routine rectal MRI, DKI and IVIM examinations on a 3.0-T scanner. Two radiologists sketched regions of interest (ROIs) on b = 1000 s/mm² DKI and IVIM images to obtain quantitative parameters with FireVoxel manually. We evaluated the difference of histogram analysis, clinical and image data between SDM group and non-SDM group, and evaluated the efficacy of each index in predicting SDM of rectal cancer.

RESULTS

The 90th percentile of f values in the SDM group is lower than that in the non-SDM group (29.4 ± 8.4% vs. 35 ± 17.8%, P = 0.005). CA19-9 in the SDM group is higher than that in the non-SDM group (P = 0.003). Low and high rectal cancer are more likely to develop SDM than middle rectal cancer (P = 0.05 and P = 0.047). The combination of these three indexes has a greater area under the curve (AUC) than any one index (0.801 vs. 0.685 (f (90th percentile)) and 0.627 (CA19-9), P = 0.0075 and 0.0058, respectively), and its specificity and sensitivity are 80.0% and 71.6%, respectively. When this combination is incorporated into the predictive nomogram model, the c-index is 0.801 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.730-0.871).

CONCLUSIONS

IVIM quantitative parameters combine with CA19-9 and tumor location can better predict the risk of SDM of rectal cancer.

Determining Which Patients Require Preoperative Pelvic Radiotherapy Before Curative-Intent Surgery and/or Ablation for Metastatic Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to determine the optimal indications for preoperative pelvic radiotherapy (RT) in patients with metastatic rectal cancer who underwent curative-intent surgical resection and/or ablation.

METHODS

Between January 2000 and October 2019, 246 patients who met our inclusion criteria were enrolled. Preoperative RT was performed in 22 patients (8.9%). Lower margin below the peritoneal reflection (p < 0.001), mesorectal fascia (MRF) invasion (p = 0.02), and lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN) involvement (p = 0.005) were more frequent in the preoperative RT group.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up period of 13.3 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 6.0-36.3 months), local recurrence (LR) was identified in 60 patients (24.4%). It was the first site of recurrence in 45 of them (18.3%). Among them, three patients were in the preoperative RT group. On multivariable analysis, lower margin below the peritoneal reflection, MRF invasion, LPLN involvement, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level ≥ 10 ng/mL before treatment, and preoperative RT were significant prognostic factors for LR-free survival (LRFS). In the patient group without any risk factors, the 2-year LRFS rate was 94.9% without preoperative RT. In the patient group with one or more risk factors, the 2-year LRFS was 64.4% without and 95.2% with preoperative RT.

CONCLUSION

LR developed in about 25% of patients within 2 years. Preoperative RT should be considered, especially in patients with a risk factor for LR, including lower margin below the peritoneal reflection, MRF invasion, LPLN involvement, or CEA ≥ 10 ng/mL before treatment.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by resection/ablation in stage IV rectal cancer patients with potentially resectable metastases

Background

The optimal treatment of stage IV rectal cancer remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess the treatment outcomes and toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by local treatment of all tumor sites and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy in stage IV rectal cancer patients with potentially resectable metastases.

Methods

Adult patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma with potentially resectable metastases, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy from July 2013 and September 2019 at Sun Yat-sen University cancer center, were included. Completion of the whole treatment schedule, pathological response, treatment-related toxicity and survival were evaluated.

Results

A total of 228 patients were analyzed with a median follow-up of 33 (range 3.3 to 93.4) months. Eventually, 112 (49.1%) patients finished the whole treatment schedule, of which complete response of all tumor sites and pathological downstaging of the rectal tumor were observed in three (2.7%) and 90 (80.4%) patients. The three-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of all patients were 56.6% (50.2 to 63.9%) and 38.6% (95% CI 32.5 to 45.8%), respectively. For patients who finished the treatment schedule, 3-year OS (74.4% vs 39.2%, P < 0.001) and 3-year PFS (45.5% vs 30.5%, P = 0.004) were significantly improved compared those who did not finish the treatment. Grade 3–4 chem-radiotherapy treatment toxicities were observed in 51 (22.4%) of all patients and surgical complications occurred in 22 (9.6%) of 142 patients who underwent surgery, respectively.

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by resection/ablation and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy offered chances of long-term survival with tolerable toxicities for selected patients with potentially resectable stage IV rectal cancer, and could be considered as an option in clinical practice.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-09089-5.

Emerging applications of radiomics in rectal cancer: State of the art and future perspectives

Rectal cancer (RC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and has a high risk of mortality, although overall survival rates have improved. Preoperative assessments and predictions, including risk stratification, responses to therapy, long-term clinical outcomes, and gene mutation status, are crucial to guide the optimization of personalized treatment strategies. Radiomics is a novel approach that enables the evaluation of the heterogeneity and biological behavior of tumors by quantitative extraction of features from medical imaging. As these extracted features cannot be captured by visual inspection, the field holds significant promise. Recent studies have proved the rapid development of radiomics and validated its diagnostic and predictive efficacy. Nonetheless, existing radiomics research on RC is highly heterogeneous due to challenges in workflow standardization and limitations of objective cohort conditions. Here, we present a summary of existing research based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. We highlight the most salient issues in the field of radiomics and analyze the most urgent problems that require resolution. Our review provides a cutting-edge view of the use of radiomics to detect and evaluate RC, and will benefit researchers dedicated to using this state-of-the-art technology in the era of precision medicine.

MRI-based radiomics nomogram to predict synchronous liver metastasis in primary rectal cancer patients

At the time of diagnosis, approximately 15%-20% of patients with rectal cancer (RC) presented synchronous liver metastasis (SLM), which is the most common cause of death in patients with RC. Therefore, preoperative, noninvasive, and accurate prediction of SLM is crucial for personalized treatment strategies. Recently, radiomics has been considered as an advanced image analysis method to evaluate the neoplastic heterogeneity with respect to diagnosis of the tumor and prediction of prognosis. In this study, a total of 1409 radiomics features were extracted for each volume of interest (VOI) from high-resolution T2WI images of the primary RC. Subsequently, five optimal radiomics features were selected based on the training set using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method to construct the radiomics signature. In addition, radiomics signature combined with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) was included in the multifactor logistic regression to construct the nomogram model. It showed an optimal predictive performance in the validation set as compared to that in the radiomics model. The favorable calibration of the radiomics nomogram showed a nonsignificant Hosmer-Lemeshow test statistic (P > .05). The decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that the radiomics nomogram is clinically superior to the radiomics model. Therefore, the nomogram amalgamating the radiomics signature and clinical risk factors serve as an effective quantitative approach to predict the SLM of primary RC.

Eastern Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference 2018

The annual Eastern Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 20-22 September 2018. Experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology, and pathology who are involved in the management of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies participated in presentations and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing the recommendations presented here. This consensus statement addresses multiple topics in the management of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, hepatocellular cancer, and rectal and colon cancer, including ■ surgical management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma,■ adjuvant and metastatic systemic therapy options in pancreatic adenocarcinoma,■ the role of radiotherapy in the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma,■ systemic therapy in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours,■ updates in systemic therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma,■ optimum duration of adjuvant systemic therapy for colorectal cancer, and■ sequence of therapy in oligometastatic colorectal cancer.

Managing Synchronous Liver Metastases in Colorectal Cancer

The most common site of blood-borne metastases from colorectal cancers (CRC) is the liver. Resection of (liver) metastases is a part of standard treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Hepatic resection is the first-line treatment of liver metastases, with 5-year survival rates between 25 and 58%. The enhanced efficacy of systemic chemotherapeutic regimens has increased tumor response rates and improved the progression-free and overall survival of patients with these malignancies. In approximately 20% of patients with initially unresectable liver metastases, the metastases may become resectable after administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Unresectable liver metastases can be managed with systemic therapy and/or a variety of liver-directed techniques such as radiofrequency ablation, hepatic artery infusion, or yttrium-90 radioembolization. Our examination of the literature led us to propose a new patient-oriented algorithm to guide clinicians' decisions on the best choice of upfront therapy for CRC and synchronous liver metastases. The need for multidisciplinary consensus has become especially important for metastatic CRC.

MRI radiomics analysis for predicting preoperative synchronous distant metastasis in patients with rectal cancer

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the value of MRI radiomics based on T2-weighted (T2W) images in predicting preoperative synchronous distant metastasis (SDM) in patients with rectal cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 177 patients with histopathology-confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma (123 patients in the training cohort and 54 in the validation cohort). A total of 385 radiomics features were extracted from pretreatment T2W images. Five steps, including univariate statistical tests and a random forest algorithm, were performed to select the best preforming features for predicting SDM. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to build the clinical and clinical-radiomics combined models in the training cohort. The predictive performance was validated by receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis and clinical utility implementing a nomogram and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine patients (33.3%) were confirmed to have SDM. Six radiomics features and four clinical characteristics were selected for predicting SDM. The clinical-radiomics combined model performed better than the clinical model in both the training and validation datasets. A threshold of 0.44 yielded an area under the ROC (AUC) value of 0.827 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6963-0.9580), a sensitivity of 72.2%, a specificity of 94.4%, and an accuracy of 87.0% in the validation cohort for the combined model. A clinical-radiomics nomogram and decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the combined model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our proposed clinical-radiomics combined model could be utilized as a noninvasive biomarker for identifying patients at high risk of SDM, which could aid in tailoring treatment strategies.

KEY POINTS

• T2WI-based radiomics analysis helps predict synchronous distant metastasis (SDM) of rectal cancer. • The clinical-radiomics combined model could be utilized as a noninvasive biomarker for predicting SDM. • Personalized treatment can be carried out with greater confidence based on the risk stratification for SDM in rectal cancer.

Repeating of local therapy of distant metastases increases overall survival in patients with synchronous metastasized rectal cancer-a monocentric analysis

PURPOSE

The aim was to evaluate the outcome of treatment-naive patients with synchronous metastatic rectal cancer after chemotherapy with FOLFOXIRI followed by local therapeutic procedures of all tumor lesions as complete as possible.

METHODS

We reviewed data of 30 patients with synchronous distant metastatic rectal cancer who underwent chemotherapy with FOLFOXIRI and subsequent local therapy in our institution.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 28 months (range: 8; 74). Cumulative overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 93.3, 76.9, 55.6% and 46.2, 29.7, 29.7% after 1, 2, 4 years. Non-response to chemotherapy with FOLFOXIRI was associated with a highly significant decreased OS (p < 0.0001). The consistent use of local ablative procedures led to a statistically significant increase in OS (p < 0.0001), but not in PFS (p = 0.635). Patients with ≤ 4 distant metastases showed a better OS (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

Response to intensified first-line chemotherapy with FOLFOXIRI, treatment of the primary rectal tumor, and repeated thorough local ablative procedures in patients with synchronous metastasized rectal cancer may lead to long-term survival, even in a subset of patients with unresectable disease at initial diagnosis.

Individualized Treatment Sequencing Selection Contributes to Optimized Survival in Patients with Rectal Cancer and Synchronous Liver Metastases

BACKGROUND

The optimal treatment sequence for patients with advanced rectal cancer and synchronous resectable liver metastases is controversial. We examined the outcomes associated with an individualized selection of classic, reversed, or combined approaches.

METHODS

Between 1999 and 2014, 268 patients with rectal cancer and synchronous liver-only metastases underwent curative-intent multimodality therapy. Demographics and tumor and treatment details were reviewed. Survival outcomes were examined across treatment sequences and time periods (1999-2003, 2004-2008, and 2009-2014).

RESULTS

Overall, 150 (56.0%) patients underwent primary tumor resection first ('classic' approach), 44 (16.4%) patients underwent simultaneous resection of the primary and liver metastases ('combined' approach), and 74 (27.6%) patients underwent liver resection first ('reversed' approach). Patients who underwent the reversed approach had more liver metastases (3 [2-5]) at presentation (vs. 1 [1-2.5] in the combined approach or 1 [1-3] in the classic approach; p < 0.001). Over time (from 1999 to 2003, to 2009 to 2014), both patients undergoing curative-intent treatment (62-122 patients) and the relative proportion of patients undergoing the reversed approach (6.4-37.7%) significantly increased. Despite higher disease burden, the 5-year overall survival (OS) was higher for patients treated in 2009-2014 versus those treated in 1999-2003 (76% vs. 45%; p < 0.002). Two hundred and ten patients (78%) were rendered free of disease; however, 58 were not due to disease progression or treatment complications, and their 5-year OS was poor at 6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Individualized selection of treatment sequence based on the liver metastases and primary tumor disease burden allowed most patients to complete resection of all gross disease, and is associated with a 5-year OS rate approaching that for stage III rectal cancer in the most recent era.

Prophylactic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection in stage IV low rectal cancer

AIM

To assess the clinical significance of prophylactic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) in stage IV low rectal cancer.

METHODS

We selected 71 consecutive stage IV low rectal cancer patients who underwent primary tumor resection, and enrolled 50 of these 71 patients without clinical LPLN metastasis. The patients had distant metastasis such as liver, lung, peritoneum, and paraaortic LN. Clinical LPLN metastasis was defined as LN with a maximum diameter of 10 mm or more on preoperative pelvic computed tomography scan. All patients underwent primary tumor resection, 27 patients underwent total mesorectal excision (TME) with LPLND (LPLND group), and 23 patients underwent only TME (TME group). Bilateral LPLND was performed simultaneously with primary tumor resection in LPLND group. R0 resection of both primary and metastatic sites was achieved in 20 of 50 patients. We evaluated possible prognostic factors for 5-year overall survival (OS), and compared 5-year cumulative local recurrence between the LPLND and TME groups.

RESULTS

For OS, univariate analyses revealed no significant benefit in the LPLND compared with the TME group (28.7% vs 17.0%, P = 0.523); multivariate analysis revealed that R0 resection was an independent prognostic factor. Regarding cumulative local recurrence, the LPLND group showed no significant benefit compared with TME group (21.4% vs 14.8%, P = 0.833).

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic LPLND shows no oncological benefits in patients with Stage IV low rectal cancer without clinical LPLN metastasis.

Phase II Study of Preoperative Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin-based Intensified Chemoradiotherapy With or Without Induction Chemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer and Synchronous Liver-limited Resectable Metastases

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Objectives:

Controversy surrounds the management of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer with synchronous resectable liver metastases (LMs). This study was designed to improve both systemic and local control in these patients.

Methods:

Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (cT3-4N0 or cTanyN1-2) and synchronous resectable liver-limited metastases (cM1a) were randomly assigned to receive either preoperative treatments of induction CapeOx, followed by chemoradiotherapy with CapeOx (CapeOx-RT) (arm A) or CapeOx-RT alone (arm B). Induction CapeOx consisted of oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² on day 1 and capecitabine 1000 mg/m² twice daily on days 1 to 14, every 3 weeks for 2 cycles; CapeOx-RT consisted of radiotherapy with 45 Gy/25 daily fractions±5.4 Gy/3 fractions, oxaliplatin 50 mg/m² weekly for 5 weeks, and capecitabine 825 mg/m² twice daily on days 1 to 38. Total mesorectal excision and simultaneous liver metastasectomy were planned within 6 weeks after completion of preoperative treatments. The primary endpoint was R0 resection rate of both the primary tumor and LMs.

Results:

Thirty-eight patients were randomly assigned to the present study, 18 to arm A and 20 to arm B. The overall R0 resection rate for both the primary tumor and LMs was 77.8% in arm A and 70.0% in arm B (P=0.72). The median progression-free survival was 14.2 versus 15.1 months (P=0.422) and the 3-year overall survival rate was 75.0% versus 88.8% (P=0.29), respectively.

Conclusions:

Both treatment strategies showed considerable R0 resection rates; however, further study will be warranted to apply these intensified strategies in clinical practice.

The role of neoadjuvant radiotherapy for locally-advanced rectal cancer with resectable synchronous metastasis

BACKGROUND

Although neoadjuvant radiotherapy is typically administered for locally-advanced rectal cancer to reduce local recurrence (LR), its role for patients who present with synchronous resectable liver and/or lung metastasis is not well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of neoadjuvant radiotherapy for patients with stage IV rectal cancer undergoing curative-intent surgery.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained surgical registry of all consecutive adult patients who underwent curative-intent resection at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, from January 1990 until December 2014 with a median follow-up time of 43 (IQR 16-67) months. Eligible patients had locally-advanced rectal cancer (T3, T4 and/or nodal involvement) with synchronous resectable liver and/or lung metastasis. Exclusion criteria were as follows: patients with primary tumor stage of T1N0 or T2N0, patients with metastasis to organs other than the liver or lung, patients who had palliative resection, patients who had non-surgical treatment of synchronous metastasis (e.g., radiofrequency ablation), patients who received postoperative radiotherapy, or absence of research authorization. Ninety three patients were included of which 47 received neoadjuvant radiotherapy and 46 did not. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy followed by curative-intent surgery with metastasectomy performed either simultaneously with resection of the primary tumor or as a planned staged resection. The primary outcomes of this study are LR, distant metastasis, overall and disease-specific survival (DSS).

RESULTS

LR was observed in 12 patients (26%) who did not receive radiotherapy, while no LR developed in those who received neoadjuvant radiotherapy, P<0.001. Univariate analysis showed that neither age, sex, ASA class, BMI, tumor location, procedure performed, or neoadjuvant chemotherapy were associated with subsequent LR. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were: 43.3% (95% CI: 30.1, 62.3) for no radiotherapy vs. 58.3% (95% CI: 43.4, 78.2) with radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy should be considered in patients with locally-advanced stage IV rectal cancer. These data add to the evidence supporting neoadjuvant radiotherapy in the setting of resectable metastatic disease.

Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by Neoadjuvant Bevacizumab, Capecitabine, and Oxaliplatin and Subsequent Radical Treatment in Primary Stage IV Rectal Cancer: Long-Term Results of a Phase II Study

Background

In a Dutch phase II trial conducted between 2006 and 2010, short-course radiotherapy followed by systemic therapy with capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab as neoadjuvant treatment and subsequent radical surgical treatment of primary tumor and metastatic sites was evaluated. In this study, we report the long-term results after a minimum follow-up of 6 years.

Methods

Patients with histologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma with potentially resectable or ablatable metastases in liver or lungs were eligible. Follow-up data were collected for all patients enrolled in the trial. Overall and recurrence-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

Follow-up data were available for all 50 patients. After a median follow-up time of 8.1 years (range 6.0–9.8), 16 patients (32.0%) were still alive and 14 (28%) were disease-free. The median overall survival was 3.8 years (range 0.5–9.4). From the 36 patients who received radical treatment, two (5.6%) had a local recurrence and 29 (80.6%) had a distant recurrence.

Conclusions

Long-term survival can be achieved in patients with primary metastatic rectal cancer after neoadjuvant radio- and chemotherapy. Despite a high number of recurrences, 32% of patients were alive after a median follow-up time of 8.1 years.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer: a consensus statement of the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncologists (HeSMO)

There is discrepancy and failure to adhere to current international guidelines for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in hospitals in Greece and Cyprus. The aim of the present document is to provide a consensus on the multidisciplinary management of metastastic CRC, considering both special characteristics of our Healthcare System and international guidelines. Following discussion and online communication among the members of an executive team chosen by the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology (HeSMO), a consensus for metastastic CRC disease was developed. Statements were subjected to the Delphi methodology on two voting rounds by invited multidisciplinary international experts on CRC. Statements reaching level of agreement by ≥80% were considered as having achieved large consensus, whereas statements reaching 60-80% moderate consensus. One hundred and nine statements were developed. Ninety experts voted for those statements. The median rate of abstain per statement was 18.5% (range: 0-54%). In the end of the process, all statements achieved a large consensus. The importance of centralization, care by a multidisciplinary team, adherence to guidelines, and personalization is emphasized. R0 resection is the only intervention that may offer substantial improvement in the oncological outcomes.

The Impact of Preoperative Radiation Therapy on Locoregional Recurrence in Patients with Stage IV Rectal Cancer Treated with Definitive Surgical Resection and Contemporary Chemotherapy

PURPOSE

Definitive resection of primary rectal cancers is frequently incorporated, with or without preoperative radiotherapy and perioperative chemotherapy, in the management of selected patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma. This study reviews the impact of preoperative radiotherapy and perioperative chemotherapy on locoregional recurrence and overall survival in these patients.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

This retrospective study with an Institutional Review Board (IRB) waiver included 109 patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent definitive primary resection between 1998 and 2011. In addition to resection, 64 patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy and perioperative chemotherapy and 45 patients were treated with perioperative chemotherapy alone. Radiotherapy dose was typically 50.4 Gy. Baseline variables were compared using chi-square and unpaired t tests. Overall survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

There were no significant baseline differences between the two groups. There was no significant difference in locoregional recurrence (10.9 vs. 11.1%; p = 0.90) or overall survival (34.5 vs. 34.8 months; p = 0.89) for patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy compared to those treated with perioperative chemotherapy alone, respectively. Patients who underwent radiotherapy were less likely to have a positive margin (10.9 vs. 20.0%; p = 0.19), lymphovascular invasion (32.8 vs. 53.3%; p = 0.03), and pathologic stage N2 disease (25.0 vs. 42.2%; p = 0.02). Grade 2 postoperative complications were more common in the preoperative radiotherapy group (32.8 vs. 15.6%; p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with poorly differentiated tumors (HR 2.19; p = 0.009) and those that did not undergo liver-directed therapy (HR 2.20; p = 0.005) had inferior survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Locoregional recurrence is modest in patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma receiving definitive primary resection, irrespective of the use of radiotherapy. Preoperative radiotherapy may enhance pathologic downstaging at the expense of increased grade 2 postoperative complications. Its use should be reserved for patients at high risk for locoregional recurrence.

Recurrence patterns after resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer

Recurrence of metastatic disease after resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer remains a major problem as 70-80 % of patients will have a recurrence, most commonly in the liver or lung. To predict patterns of recurrence and outcome may guide follow-up and further treatment, as patients with recurrence might be candidates for repeated surgery or ablation therapy. A summary of studies shows that after hepatectomy 20-43 % will have a recurrence only in the remaining liver without extrahepatic disease, whereas 15-37 % will have a recurrence only to the lung. Early recurrence is associated with poorer outcome compared to late recurrence. Site of first recurrence after resection of liver metastases is predicted by several baseline variables; synchronous disease, primary tumor site, hepatic tumor size, CEA level, number of hepatic lesions, and RAS mutation status. Pattern of recurrence is a predictor for survival after hepatectomy, with liver-only and lung-only recurrences having the best survival. In the majority of patients with isolated hepatic or lung recurrence, repeated metastasectomy is possible resulting in a 40 % 5-year survival rate. Perioperative chemotherapy reduces the risk of liver recurrence after hepatectomy of colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Lymphatic drainage of the liver and its implications in the management of colorectal cancer liver metastases

The liver is the most common site of distant metastases in patients with colorectal cancer. Surgery represents the mainstream for curative treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) with long-term survival up to 58 and 36 % at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Despite advances on diagnosis, staging and surgical strategies, 60-70 % of patients will develop recurrence of the disease even after R0 resection of CRCLM. Tumor staging, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches for cancer are most often based on the extent of involvement of regional lymph nodes (LNs) and, to a lesser extent, on the invasion of regional lymphatic vessels draining the primary tumor. For CRCLM, the presence of intra hepatic lymphatic and blood vascular dissemination has been associated with an increased risk of intra hepatic recurrence, poorer disease-free and overall survival after liver resection. Also, several studies have reviewed the role of surgery in the patient with concomitant CRCLM and liver pedicle LN metastasis. Although pedicle LN involvement is related to worst survival rates, it does not differentiate patients that will relapse from those that will not. This review aims to briefly describe the anatomy of the liver's lymphatic drainage, the incidence of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion and hilar lymph node involvement, as well as their clinical impact in CRCLM. A better understanding of the role of liver lymphatic metastasis might, in the near future, impact the strategy of systemic therapies after liver resection as for primary colorectal tumors.

Evaluation of short-course radiotherapy followed by neoadjuvant bevacizumab, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin and subsequent radical surgical treatment in primary stage IV rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of preoperative short-course radiotherapy followed by capecitabine and oxaliplatin treatment in combination with bevacizumab and subsequent radical surgical treatment of all tumor sites in patients with stage IV rectal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Adults with primary metastasized rectal cancer were enrolled. They received radiotherapy (5 × 5 Gy) followed by bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg, day 1) and oxaliplatin (130 mg/m(2), day 1) intravenously and capecitabine (1000 mg/m(2) twice daily orally, days 1-14) for up to six cycles. Surgery was carried out 6-8 weeks after the last bevacizumab dose. The percentage of radical surgical treatment, 2-year survival and recurrence rates, and treatment-related toxicity was evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 50 included patients, 42 (84%) had liver metastases, 5 (10%) lung metastases, and 3 (6%) both liver and lung metastases. Radical surgical treatment was possible in 36 (72%) patients. The 2-year overall survival rate was 80% [95% confidence interval (CI) 66.3%-90.0%]. The 2-year recurrence rate was 64% (95% CI 49.8%-84.5%). Toxic effects were tolerable. No treatment-related deaths occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Radical surgical treatment of all tumor sites carried out after short-course radiotherapy, and bevacizumab-capecitabine-oxaliplatin combination therapy is a feasible and potentially curative approach in primary metastasized rectal cancer.

Locoregional surgical and interventional therapies for advanced colorectal cancer liver metastases: expert consensus statements

Selection of the optimal surgical and interventional therapies for advanced colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) requires multidisciplinary discussion of treatment strategies early in the trajectory of the individual patient's care. This paper reports on expert consensus on locoregional and interventional therapies for the treatment of advanced CRLM. Resection remains the reference treatment for patients with bilateral CRLM and synchronous presentation of primary and metastatic cancer. Patients with oligonodular bilateral CRLM may be candidates for one-stage multiple segmentectomies; two-stage resection with or without portal vein embolization may allow complete resection in patients with more advanced disease. After downsizing with preoperative systemic and/or regional therapy, curative-intent hepatectomy requires resection of all initial and currently known sites of disease; debulking procedures are not recommended. Many patients with synchronous primary disease and CRLM can safely undergo simultaneous resection of all disease. Staged resections should be considered for patients in whom the volume of the future liver remnant is anticipated to be marginal or inadequate, who have significant medical comorbid condition(s), or in whom extensive resections are required for the primary cancer and/or CRLM. Priority for liver-first or primary-first resection should depend on primary tumour-related symptoms or concern for the progression of marginally resectable CRLM during treatment of the primary disease. Chemotherapy delivered by hepatic arterial infusion represents a valid option in patients with liver-only disease, although it is best delivered in experienced centres. Ablation strategies are not recommended as first-line treatments for resectable CRLM alone or in combination with resection because of high local failure rates and limitations related to tumour size, multiplicity and intrahepatic location.