Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess outcomes in patients who underwent hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) with subcentimetre indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN) and to devise a management pathway for these patients. METHODS: Patients undergoing CRLM resection from January 2006 to December 2010 were included. Survival differences following liver resection in patients with and without IPN were determined. RESULTS: A total of 184 patients were included, 30 of whom had IPN. There were no significant differences between the IPN and non-IPN groups in terms of demographics, surgery and pathological factors. There were no significant differences between patients with and without IPN with respect to disease-free (P= 0.190) and overall (P= 0.710) survival. Fifteen patients with IPN progressed to metastatic lung disease over a median period of 10 months (range: 3-18 months); six of these patients underwent lung resection. Of the remaining 15 patients with IPN, eight showed no IPN progression and subsequent CT scans did not identify IPN in the remaining seven. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal liver metastases patients with IPN who have resectable disease should be treated with liver resection and should be subject to intensive surveillance post-resection. Although 50% of these patients will progress to develop lung metastases, this does not appear to influence survival following liver resection.