LIVER METASTASIS

Course overview

HEPATIC METASTASES INCREASE THE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY OF PATIENTS WITH ANOTHER SITE OF A PRIMARY TUMOR DISEASE—METASTATIC HEPATIC TUMORS ARE MORE PROMINENT THAN PRIMARY HEPATOCELLULAR OR BILIARY TUMORS, ALTHOUGH MOST METASTATIC TUMORS ARE ADENOCARCINOMAS. THE MAJORITY OF PUBLICATIONS ON HEPATIC METASTASES CENTER ON MANAGING COLORECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA METASTASES. THE DUAL BLOOD SUPPLY OF THE LIVER NOT ONLY MAKES IT UNIQUELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO METASTASIS FROM GASTROINTESTINAL CANCERS AND ACCESSIBLE TO INTERVENTIONAL THERAPIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CURRENT LITERATURE ON THE EVALUATION, MANAGEMENT, AND COMPLICATIONS OF METASTATIC HEPATIC DISEASE. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL APPROACH IN PROVIDING ADEQUATE CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.