Researchers Identify Mechanism Favoring Liver Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer
A newly identified mechanism may explain how colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, offering potential new targets for treatment, according to recent research. Understanding how and why cancer metastasizes – spreads to other parts of the body – is a critical step in improving outcomes for patients with advanced disease.
The liver is a common site for colorectal cancer to spread, with an estimated 25% to 50% of colorectal cancer cases developing liver metastases during the course of the illness. The study found that colorectal cancer may begin to spread early on, even before an initial diagnosis.
When colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, it is considered stage 4 or metastatic colorectal cancer. Doctors may refer to this spread as “mets,” a shorthand for metastasis.
Surgery remains the primary treatment option for colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, but other approaches are also available. These include ablation, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. According to experts at Fox Chase Cancer Center, even when surgery isn’t immediately possible due to tumor size, treatments like hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy can shrink the tumor, making surgical intervention a viable option.
“A surgical evaluation is vital early on in treatment,” said Jason A. Castellanos, MD, MS, a surgical oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center. “While chemotherapy plays an important role, surgery is also an essential treatment to consider when evaluating patients with these types of tumors.”
Innovations in surgical techniques, such as multistage surgeries – where one side of the tumor is cleared in a first operation and the other side is removed later to allow the liver to recover – have also improved outcomes. Researchers have noted that 25 to 40 percent of patients with removable colorectal liver metastases may live at least 10 more years, depending on various factors.
Doctors may use imaging scans, such as CT, MRI, and PET scans, as well as liver biopsies, to diagnose and assess the extent of the cancer’s spread. Blood tests can also help evaluate liver function.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver can include blood in the stool, pain in the right side of the abdomen, swelling in the abdomen, fatigue, and weight loss. Though, some individuals may not experience any symptoms.
Further research is ongoing to develop more effective treatments and improve the prognosis for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
You can learn more about colorectal cancer and liver metastasis from resources like WebMD, Healthline, and Fox Chase Cancer Center.
