Is there a rationale for aggressive breast cancer liver metastases resections in Polish female patients? Analysis of overall survival following hepatic resection at a single centre in Poland

Breast cancer (BC) makes up nearly 26% of malignant tumours worldwide and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in European women. With approximately 18,000 new cases of BC diagnosed in Polish women annually, breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM) is respectively an increasing issue. Recent data found in literature indicates improved survival following liver resection with systemic therapy. The aim of study was to evaluate surgical treatment in patients with isolated BCLM. During 2009-2013, a retrospective study was undertaken and 30 cases analysed. From nearly 2,000 liver resections performed, 11 female patients at the mean age of 59.18 years with BCLM were qualified for surgery. The median time between primary and secondary treatment was 3.5 years (1-7). One patient (9.1%) presented an extrahepatic lesion - bone metastasis. The left lobe, right lobe and both lobes of the liver were affected, respectively, in 3 (27.3%), 4 (36.4%) and 4 (36.4%) patients. 5 patients (45.5%) presented single hepatic lesion, in contrast to the maximum number of lesions which equalled 6 in the right lobe. Average hospitalisation period was 13.27 days and discharge on the 11.3 postoperative day. One-year survival was 72.7% (8 patients); therefore, three-year survival was 36.4% (4 patients). Oncological centres should assess BCLM patients more openly and qualify them for hepatic resection along with adjuvant systemic treatment in order to improve overall survival. This, however, needs to be studied in a multicentre randomized trial.