liver mets--studied to determine who is most likely to benefit from metastasectomy

Am J Surg. 2006 Feb;191(2):281-283. Related Articles, Links

The utility of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and Her-2/neu status to predict survival in patients undergoing hepatic resection for breast cancer metastases.

Martinez SR, Young SE, Giuliano AE, Bilchik AJ.

Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, John Wayne Cancer Institute, 2200 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA; The Joyce Keefer-Eisenberg Breast Center, John Wayne Cancer Institute, 2200 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic metastases from breast cancer signal a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of 9.5 months. METHODS: Twenty breast cancer patients with liver metastases underwent hepatic resection, biopsy, or ablation between 1995 and 2004. Hormone receptor status and Her-2/neu expression of primary and metastatic tumors were correlated with overall survival. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 39 months after hepatic resection, median survival was 32 months. Patients undergoing anatomic resection with or without ablation lived significantly longer than those undergoing more limited resections (46 vs. 25 months, P = .016). Survival was significantly greater in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive primary (P = .02) and metastatic (P < .004) tumors, Her-2/neu-positive metastases (P = .02), </=2 hepatic metastases (P < .002), and age >50 years at metastasectomy (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The ER status of the primary tumor and ER and Her-2/neu status of hepatic metastases, in addition to other clinical factors, may help select patients who would benefit from hepatic metastasectomy.

PMID: 16442961 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[julierene]

I have 2 lesions on my liver that are 2cm and smaller. I was told that we should focus on seeing what the chemo/herceptin will do before thinking about any surgery... Is that right?