Treatment of patients with colorectal cancer: emphasis on liver metastases.

Overview

The treatment of colorectal liver metastases has progressed considerably in recent years. Coordinated multidisciplinary management of patients on clinical trials has resulted in 5-year survival rates exceeding 50%, and for certain patients cure is now a realistic goal. For all patients, the approval of six new drugs has contributed to an increase in median survival from 6 months to over 20 months. Recent molecular discoveries promise an era of tailored therapy in which only patients known to benefit will be treated, an approach that will enable more efficient use of the already stretched resources. Clinical trials continue to investigate different combinations and methods of administering approved therapies, but if the progress of the past decade is to be replicated it is imperative that we embrace innovative treatment strategies and novel trial designs. In this review, we highlight the developments that have improved survival for patients with colorectal liver metastases and discuss the many issues that challenge further progress.