ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the indications and effect of surgical resection for hepatic metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma and to discuss the implications of clinicopathologic features on the prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective study of 61 patients undergoing hepatectomy for metastatic tumors from colorectal adenocarcinoma from January 1991 to December 2000 in our hospital was performed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after hepatic resection were 72.13%, 58.10% and 26.01% respectively. Complications occurred in 8 cases. Tumor pesudomembrance was found in 20 cases. Dukes stage, pathologic type,the number of hepatic metastases and tumor pesudomembrance were all significant factors for prognosis after surgery (P< 0.05). The 3-year survival rate of the patients with postoperative comprehensive treatment was higher than that with non-postoperative treatment (P< 0.05). The size of hepatic metastases and the resecting time didn't affect the prognosis (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer should be treated by a surgical approach. The earlier stage of clinical pathology,higher differentiation extent, metastases less than 3, the formation of pesudomembrance of the metastatic tumor and the postoperative comprehensive treatment predict a better survival.</p>