Network Meta-Analysis of Adjuvant Chemotherapy following Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases

Abstract

Objective: Six principal adjuvant chemotherapy treatments (ACTs) are currently available for patients with resected colorectal liver metastases. This meta-analysis was designed to determine the optimal ACT, as evaluated by 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates as well as by hepatic recurrences and adverse events (AEs). Methods: A systematic literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases was performed. The probability of the optimal therapeutic scheme and the mean ranking were estimated for each treatment using network meta-analysis. Results: Systemic chemotherapy (SCT) had the best 2-year DFS rate (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.48–1.27, 95% prediction interval [PI] = 0.17–3.56, surface under the cumulative ranking area [SUCRA] = 73) and the lowest AE rate (estimated SUCRA = 65 and predicted SUCRA = 62). Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) plus SCT had the best 5-year OS rate (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.64–1.01, 95% PI = 0.50–1.29) and the lowest hepatic recurrence rate (odds ratio = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.56–5.30, 95% PI = 0.61–13.62). Conclusion: Both SCT and HAI plus SCT showed superior efficacy and safety. Clinical trials in homogeneous populations with strict selection criteria are needed to compare these two ACTs.

Management strategies for patients with advanced rectal cancer and liver metastases using modified Delphi methodology: results from the PelvEx Collaborative

“…Finally, as expected, the majority of participants would recommend adjuvant therapy, even following R0 resection. Length of treatment did not reach consensus, and there remains lack of international consensus on the type of adjuvant therapy [28].…”