
<b> A general surgeon will NOT do well when faced with LMS work, it is more complicated and margins have to be wider than the surgeon is used to dealing with.  Have skilled oncological surgeons do the work, and the best that you can find.  Often the prognosis is decided by who does the first operation. </b> See below.

Ann Surg 1999 Dec;230(6):759-65; discussion 765-6 
<b>Does the subspecialty of the surgeon performing primary colonic resection influence the outcome of patients with hepatic metastases referred for resection? </b>
Wigmore SJ, Madhavan K, Currie EJ, Bartolo DC, Garden OJ. 
University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. 

<b> To compare resection rates and outcome of patients subsequently referred with hepatic metastases whose initial colon cancers were resected by surgeons with different specialty interests.</b>... Variation in practice among noncolorectal specialist surgeons has led to recommendations that colorectal cancers should be treated by surgeons trained in colorectal surgery or surgical oncology. ...The resectability of metastases, the frequency and pattern of recurrence after resection, and the length of survival were compared in patients referred to a single center for resection of colorectal hepatic metastases. The patients were divided into those whose colorectal resection had been performed by general surgeons (GS) with other subspecialty interests (n = 108) or by colorectal specialists (CS; n = 122). RESULTS No differences were observed with respect to age, sex, tumor stage, site of primary tumor, or frequency of synchronous metastases. Comparing the GS group with the CS group, resectable disease was identified in 26% versus 66%, with tumor recurrence after a median follow-up of 19 months in 75% versus 44%, respectively. Recurrences involving bowel or lymph nodes accounted for 55% versus 24% of all recurrences, with respective median survivals of 14 months versus 26 months. CONCLUSION: Fewer patients referred by general surgeons had resectable liver disease. <b>After surgery, recurrent tumor was more likely to develop in the GS[General Surgeons] group; their overall outcome was worse than that of the CS [Colorectal Specialists] group. This observation is partly explained by a lower local recurrence rate in the CS group.</b> 
&&url PMID: 10615930

Written and compiled by doctordee  May 2001
updated November 2003
