Chapter 21

Approximately 50% of patients who undergo resection for Colorectal Cancer will develop recurrent disease within 5 years. The liver is the major site of recurrence and the primary determinant of patient survival. Systematic attempts to resect colorectal liver metastasis were commenced some 40 years ago and subsequently became more widely accepted. A large number of reports showed that resection for colorectal liver metastasis was safe and potentially curative. It is well established that isolated liver metastasis can occur without growth elsewhere and that surgical excision of liver tumours could be performed with low morbidity and mortality.