Among patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous liver metastases, the subgroup with a primary cancer in the rectum is especially challenging. Compared with colon cancer, most patients with stage IV rectal cancer will have locally advanced primary tumors at increased risk for obstructive and/or post-operative complications resulting in delays in systemic therapy. In this episode from the HPB team at Behind the Knife, listen in on the discussion about treatment sequencing for synchronous liver metastasis from rectal cancer

Hosts

Anish J. Jain MD (@anishjayjain) is a current PGY3 General Surgery Resident at Stanford University and a former T32 Research Fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Timothy E. Newhook MD, FACS (@timnewhook19) is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Surgical Oncology. He is also the associate program director of the HPB fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Jean-Nicolas Vauthey MD, FACS (@VautheyMD) is Professor of Surgery and Chief of the HPB Section, as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth Living Legend Chair of Cancer Research in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Learning Objectives

·      Develop an understanding of the three treatment sequences for resection of disease in patients with synchronous liver metastasis from a primary rectal cancer (reverse, combined, and classic approach)

·      Develop an understanding of the benefits, risks, and nuances of each of the three treatment sequences

·      Develop an understanding of which patient cases each treatment sequence is ideal for as well as which cases they are not suitable for.

Papers Referenced (in the order they were mentioned in the episode):

1)    Conrad C, Vauthey JN, Masayuki O, et al. Individualized Treatment Sequencing Selection Contributes to Optimized Survival in Patients with Rectal Cancer and Synchronous Liver Metastases. Ann Surg Oncol. 2017 Dec;24(13):3857-3864. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28929463/

2)    Maki H, Ayabe RI, Nishioka Y, et al. Hepatectomy Before Primary Tumor Resection as Preferred Approach for Synchronous Liver Metastases from Rectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Sep;30(9):5390-5400. doi: 10.1245/s10434-023-13656-4. Epub 2023 Jun 7. Erratum in: Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Sep;30(9):5405.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37285096/

Additional Suggested Reading

Mentha G, Majno PE, Andres A, Rubbia-Brandt L, Morel P, Roth AD. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and resection of advanced synchronous liver metastases before treatment of the colorectal primary. Br J Surg. 2006 Jul;93(7):872-8. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16671066/

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