Comparison of long-term survival outcome after curative hepatectomy between selected patients with non-colorectal and colorectal liver metastasis: A propensity score matching analysis

Background: Liver resection is an established treatment of choice for colorectal liver metastasis (CLM). However, the role of hepatectomy for non-colorectal liver metastasis (NCLM) is less clear.

Patients and method: From 2004 to 2017, 264 patients received curative hepatectomy for NCLM (n = 28) and CLM (n = 236). Propensity score (PS) matching was performed between two groups, with respect to the significant confounding factors. Short-term and long-term outcomes were compared between PS matched groups. Univariate analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors affecting overall and recurrence-free survival.

Results: After PS matching, there were 28 patients in NCLM group and 56 patients in CLM group. With a median follow-up of 34 months, there was no significant difference in 5-year overall survival rate between NCLM and CLM groups (62% vs. 39%) (P = 0.370). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was also comparable between NCLM and CLM groups (23% vs. 22%) (P = 0.707). Use of pre-operative systemic therapy (hazard ratio: 2.335, CI 1.157-4.712), multifocal tumors (hazard ratio: 1.777, CI 1.010-3.127), tumor size (hazard ratio: 1.135, CI 1.012-1.273), R1 resection (hazard ratio: 2.484, CI 1.194-5.169) and severe complications (hazard ratio: 6.507, CI 1.454-29.124), but not tumor type (NCLM vs. CLM), were associated with poor overall survival.

Conclusion: Hepatectomy for NCLM can achieve similar oncological outcomes in selected patients as those with CLM. Significant prognostic factors were identified associating with worse overall survival.