Patterns and Treatment of Recurrence Following Pulmonary Resection for Colorectal Metastases

Role of pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer in the era of modern multidisciplinary therapy

PURPOSE

To clarify the role of pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer in the era of modern multidisciplinary therapy.

METHODS

The characteristics and outcomes of the patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer through 2002 (n = 26) and from 2003 (n = 68) were compared.

RESULTS

The patients treated from 2003 had a smaller tumor size and more frequently had a history of extra-pulmonary relapses than did those treated through 2002. There was a significant improvement in the 5-year overall survival (42.0% vs. 73.1%, p = 0.03) but not the 5-year relapse-free survival (41.4% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.85) after pulmonary metastasectomy from 2003. The rate of patients who received local therapy with curative intent after the first pulmonary metastasectomy was significantly higher in patients treated from 2003 than in those treated through 2002 [4/13, (31%) vs. 25/39 (64%), p = 0.04]. The survival after relapse after the first pulmonary metastasectomy was significantly longer in patients treated from 2003 than in those treated through 2002 (median survival time: 14 vs. 47 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer remains an important treatment option in the sense that it can achieve a good relapse-free survival.

Repeat resection for recurrent pulmonary metastasis of colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Resection of recurrent lung metastases from colorectal cancer is not completely investigated. We analyzed overall survival and prognosticators after metastasectomy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed our database of 238 patients with lung metastases of colorectal cancer, undergoing metastasectomy with systematic lymph node dissection from 1999 to 2014. Lymph node metastases were found in 55 patients, and liver metastases were found in 79 patients.

RESULTS

The 5- and 10-year survival rates for all patients were 48 and 32%. Of the 238 patients included in the study, 101 developed recurrent lung metastases (42.4%). Recurrence had no impact on survival (p = 0.474). The 5- and 10-year survival rates from the beginning of recurrence for all patients with recurrence were 40 and 25%. Overall, 52 patients had been reoperated for recurrent lung metastases. 5-year survival for reoperated patients was 75% and significantly prolonged compared with nonreoperated patients (p < 0.001). Also, survival from beginning of recurrence was significantly longer (p < 0.001). Recurrence was more often detected in the case of multiple metastases (p = 0.002) and atypical resections (p = 0.029) at first metastasectomy. Lymph node metastases (p = 0.084) and liver metastases (p = 0.195) had no influence on recurrence. For reoperated patients, lower grading of the primary tumor was the only independent prognosticator for survival in multivariate analyses (p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

Good long-term survival is achievable for patients with resectable recurrent lung metastases. Multiple metastases and atypical resection at first metastasectomy were associated with recurrent disease. Neither lymph node metastases nor liver metastases were significantly associated with recurrence. Lower grading of the primary tumor was the only independent prognosticator for survival. All in all, the factors that can be influenced by the surgeon are patient selection and R0 resection.

A Comparison of Survival by Site of Metastatic Resection in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Metastatic resection (MR) of liver-limited disease is an effective therapy for selected patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Despite limited data, this approach has been expanded to include MR of other sites, such as the lung, locoregional, and other distant disease (ODD). We performed a population-based study of patients with mCRC who had undergone MR and compared survival between MR of the liver and MR of other sites.

METHODS

Patients with mCRC who were referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency between 1995 and 2010 were reviewed. Patients were included if they had an R0 MR with a negative margin and no residual disease. The site of MR was classified according to collaborative staging criteria as liver, lung, locoregional, or ODD. Median overall survival (mOS) was assessed with Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using the log-rank test. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to compare mOS, while adjusting for known prognostic factors.

RESULTS

A total of 2082 patients with mCRC were identified, of whom 257 underwent R0 MR. Sites of MR included liver (65%), lung (16%), locoregional (5%), and ODD (14%). The mOS of liver, lung, locoregional, and ODD were 48.0, 42.8, 37.2, and 26.2 months, respectively (P = .087). On multivariate analysis, only MR of ODD had a significantly different survival estimate than MR of the liver (hazard ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.80; P = .012).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with limited lung and locoregional disease seem to have a comparable survival advantage from MR as patients with liver-limited metastases.

Lung Metastases Treated With Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy in Oligometastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients: Outcomes and Prognostic Factors After Long-Term Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

We evaluated a series of oligometastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) delivered in all active lung metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-four patients with 69 lung metastases were treated with SABR. Eleven patients presented with other sites of metastases before stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), even though they had controlled/cured systemic disease.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 36 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 38 months and 2 years, 3-year OS rates were 67.7% and 50.8%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10 months and 2 years, 3-year PFS rates were 20.3% and 16.2%, respectively. Local recurrence occurred in 16 patients (36%).The first site of failure was local only in 22%, distant only in 35%, and local and distant in 14% of the patients. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year local PFS (LPFS) were 68.8%, 60.2%, and 54.2%, respectively. No Grade ≥ 3 toxicities were recorded in the univariate analysis; multiple lung metastases and synchronous oligometastatic disease were significantly associated with worse PFS (P = .04, and P < .001, respectively) and worse metastases-free survival (MFS; P = .04, and P < .001, respectively). The type of response was identified as a significant prognostic factor for OS (P = .014), PFS (P = .006), and LPFS (P < .001). In multivariate analysis single lung metastases treated with SBRT was associated with better MFS (P = .015). Metachronous oligometastatic disease and type of response were associated with significantly better PFS.

CONCLUSION

Stereotactic body radiotherapy is a valid therapy in the treatment of lung metastases for oligometastatic CRC patients presenting long survival. The rate of local control remains lower compared with other primaries. Further prospective cohorts would better evaluate effective fractionation for patients with oligometastatic CRC.