Impact of portal vein embolization on long-term survival of patients with primarily unresectable colorectal liver metastases

Abstract

Abstract Background Portal vein embolization (PVE) increases the resectability of initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CLM). This study evaluated long-term survival in patients with CLM who underwent hepatectomy following PVE. Methods In a retrospective analysis patients treated by PVE before major hepatectomy were compared with those who did not have PVE, and with those who had PVE without resection. Results Of 364 patients who underwent hepatectomy, 67 had PVE beforehand and 297 did not. Those who had PVE more often had more than three liver metastases (68 versus 40·9 per cent; P < 0·001) that were more frequently bilobar (78 versus 55·2 per cent; P < 0·001), and a higher proportion underwent extended hepatectomy (63 versus 18·1 per cent; P < 0·001). Postoperative morbidity rates were 55 and 41·1 per cent respectively (P = 0·035), and overall 3-year survival rates were 44 and 61·0 per cent (P = 0·001). Thirty-two other patients who were treated by PVE but did not undergo resection all died within 3 years. Conclusion PVE increased the resectability rate of initially unresectable CLM. Among patients who had PVE, long-term survival was better in those who had resection than in those who did not. PVE is of importance in the multimodal treatment of advanced CLM.