Background/aims: We tested the hypothesis that chronic hepatic virus infection could reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CLM) and investigated CLM patients' survival prolonged in positive viral infection.
Methodology: 2868 colorectal cancer patients were divided into positive-infection and non-infection groups. Clinical variables, incidence of liver metastases and survival between the groups were respectively analyzed.
Results: The incidence of liver metastases in the positive group was much lower than in the control group, but other type distant metastasis was similar in the two groups. Infected group 5-year overall survival (OS) was better than the negative group. Meanwhile, CLM patients in the former group showed longer survival time than the control group (26 months vs. 20 months, p<0.001).
Conclusions: Chronic hepatic viral infection could reduce the occurrence of CLM and improves the survival time of colorectal cancer. It could be a protective factor for CLM patients.