Aims
To describe use of and outcomes from perioperative chemotherapy (p-chemo) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients undergoing resection of liver or lung metastases.
Methods
Patients were identified from the TRACC (Treatment of Recurrent and Advanced Colorectal Cancer) database, a multi-centre registry of mCRC patients. P-chemo was defined as chemotherapy within 12 weeks of surgery (pre-operative, post-operative or both). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was undertaken.
Results
371 patients were identified. Median age was 64, 169 (45%) had de novo stage IV disease, 96% were ECOG 0-1. 284 (77%) had liver-only and 87 (23%) lung-only metastases. 242 (65%) patients received p-chemo (58 pre-operative alone, 134 post-operative alone, 50 both). 62 (19%) patients also received a biologic agent (47/62 pre-operatively). Median age was 68 and 61 years in no p-chemo and p-chemo groups, respectively. 53% of no p-chemo patients and 23% of p-chemo patients had received prior adjuvant chemotherapy. 58% of the preoperative chemotherapy group were considered to have upfront resectable disease.
P-chemo was associated with improved survival (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99). Compared to no p-chemo, post-operative chemotherapy alone was associated with survival benefit (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.23-0.69) whilst pre-operative chemotherapy alone was not (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.76-2.41). Patients who received both pre- and post-operative chemotherapy had a trend towards benefit (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.40-1.30).
P-chemo improved survival in the liver-only (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33-0.98) and lung-only metastases groups (trend only, HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.14-1.25).
Conclusion
In routine care there is a variable approach to the use of p-chemo in patients with resectable liver or lung metastases. P-chemo is associated with improved survival but this analysis is potentially confounded by the impact of patient and disease prognostic factors. A multivariate analysis incorporating disease factors such as number of metastases, molecular status and tumour side is being conducted.