RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elucidate an adequate hepatectomy margin for simultaneous liver and colorectal resection in colorectal cancer liver metastasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 39 patients, undergone simultaneous liver and colorectal resection for colorectal cancer liver metastasis from August 1994 to December 2004, were analyzed retrospectively. Two groups were divided according to the width of hepatectomy margin:less than 1 cm in group A, and equal or more than 1 cm in group B. The data were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 14 patients in group A and 25 patients in group B. No significant differences in gender, age, primary tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, the number, distribution and size of liver metastasis, duration and blood lose of surgery were found between two groups. The median survival time was 17 months in group A, and 37 months in group B, and the overall 5-year survival rate in group B was much better than that in group A (19.8% vs 0, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Simultaneous liver and colorectal resection in colorectal cancer liver metastasis should be performed with a hepatectomy margin equal or more than 1 cm.</p>