Real-world management of patients with simultaneously diagnosed synchronous liver and lung metastatic colorectal cancer – a national cohort study
(2026) In Acta Oncologica 65. p.201-212- Abstract
Background and purpose: Real-world data on management and outcomes of patients with simultaneously diagnosed synchronous colorectal liver and lung metastases are limited. This national study evaluated referral patterns, treatment strategies, and survival in a population-based cohort. Patient/material and methods: This retrospective cohort study used Swedish national registries to identify patients with synchronous liver and lung metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as metastases detected within 6 months of CRC diagnosis between 2008 and 2016. Medical record review provided additional information on diagnosis confirmation, multidisciplinary team (MDT) referral, metastatic burden, and treatment. Logistic regression identified... (More)
Background and purpose: Real-world data on management and outcomes of patients with simultaneously diagnosed synchronous colorectal liver and lung metastases are limited. This national study evaluated referral patterns, treatment strategies, and survival in a population-based cohort. Patient/material and methods: This retrospective cohort study used Swedish national registries to identify patients with synchronous liver and lung metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as metastases detected within 6 months of CRC diagnosis between 2008 and 2016. Medical record review provided additional information on diagnosis confirmation, multidisciplinary team (MDT) referral, metastatic burden, and treatment. Logistic regression identified factors associated with MDT referral and curative treatment, and Cox regression with a time-varying covariate assessed survival. Results: Among 2703 registry-identified patients, medical records were accessible for 855. After exclusion of extrahepatic, non-pulmonary metastases, 556 remained for analysis. A total of 189 patients (34%) were discussed at a liver MDT conference. Referred patients were younger, had lower metastatic burden, and better performance status than non-referred. Median survival was 24 months (95% CI [confidence interval] 21–28) for referred versus 10 months (95% CI 7–12) for non-referred patients. Curative local treatment of liver and/or lung metastases was performed in 101 patients (18%), and complete metastasectomy in 34 (6%), conferring superior survival compared with liver-only intervention (hazard ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.18– 0.61). The main reason for non-referral was presumed non-resectability. Interpretation: Referral to an MDT and subsequent local treatment were associated with improved survival, although this may partly reflect favorable patient and tumor characteristics influencing referral and treatment decisions. Patients with adequate physiological reserve should routinely be evaluated in an organ-specific MDT for potential curative treatment.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- colorectal neoplasm, liver neoplasms, lung neoplasm, multidisciplinary team, neoplasm metastasis, population-based studies, secondary, survival analysis
- in
- Acta Oncologica
- volume
- 65
- pages
- 12 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:41816948
- scopus:105033140004
- ISSN
- 0284-186X
- DOI
- 10.2340/1651-226X.2026.45045
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- bd44da70-62db-437b-bd08-dc66e06a2526
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-04 14:43:36
- date last changed
- 2026-06-29 18:45:45
@article{bd44da70-62db-437b-bd08-dc66e06a2526,
abstract = {{<p>Background and purpose: Real-world data on management and outcomes of patients with simultaneously diagnosed synchronous colorectal liver and lung metastases are limited. This national study evaluated referral patterns, treatment strategies, and survival in a population-based cohort. Patient/material and methods: This retrospective cohort study used Swedish national registries to identify patients with synchronous liver and lung metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as metastases detected within 6 months of CRC diagnosis between 2008 and 2016. Medical record review provided additional information on diagnosis confirmation, multidisciplinary team (MDT) referral, metastatic burden, and treatment. Logistic regression identified factors associated with MDT referral and curative treatment, and Cox regression with a time-varying covariate assessed survival. Results: Among 2703 registry-identified patients, medical records were accessible for 855. After exclusion of extrahepatic, non-pulmonary metastases, 556 remained for analysis. A total of 189 patients (34%) were discussed at a liver MDT conference. Referred patients were younger, had lower metastatic burden, and better performance status than non-referred. Median survival was 24 months (95% CI [confidence interval] 21–28) for referred versus 10 months (95% CI 7–12) for non-referred patients. Curative local treatment of liver and/or lung metastases was performed in 101 patients (18%), and complete metastasectomy in 34 (6%), conferring superior survival compared with liver-only intervention (hazard ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.18– 0.61). The main reason for non-referral was presumed non-resectability. Interpretation: Referral to an MDT and subsequent local treatment were associated with improved survival, although this may partly reflect favorable patient and tumor characteristics influencing referral and treatment decisions. Patients with adequate physiological reserve should routinely be evaluated in an organ-specific MDT for potential curative treatment.</p>}},
author = {{Faseh, Laia and Fruhling, Petter and Taflin, Helena and Rystedt, Jenny Lundmark and Williamsson, Caroline and Hemmingsson, Oskar and Björnsson, Bergthor and Gerling, Marco and Sparrelid, Ernesto and Sandström, Per and Hasselgren, Kristina and Engstrand, Jennie}},
issn = {{0284-186X}},
keywords = {{colorectal neoplasm; liver neoplasms; lung neoplasm; multidisciplinary team; neoplasm metastasis; population-based studies; secondary; survival analysis}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{201--212}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Acta Oncologica}},
title = {{Real-world management of patients with simultaneously diagnosed synchronous liver and lung metastatic colorectal cancer – a national cohort study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2026.45045}},
doi = {{10.2340/1651-226X.2026.45045}},
volume = {{65}},
year = {{2026}},
}