Oncology Reviews (Jun 2012)

Chemotherapy and target therapy as neo-adjuvant approach for initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases

  • Luigi Rossi,
  • Angelo Zullo,
  • Federica Zoratto,
  • Anselmo Papa,
  • Martina Strudel,
  • Maria Colonna,
  • Silverio Tomao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4081/oncol.2012.e6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 1

Abstract

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Although surgery is the most effective treatment for liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients, only 15-20% of these patients are suitable for a radical surgical approach, and metastases recurrence may occur at follow up. In the last decade, the use of pre-operative chemotherapy in combination with new biological drugs has been introduced. We reviewed data of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy strategies aimed at increasing the resection rate of liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients who were initially considered unresectable.

Keywords