Chapter 15 - An Overview on Hepatic Metastasis

Metastatic disease is by far the most common malignant liver tumors. The liver is a fertile ground for metastases that spread via blood circulation and although some primary histotypes are more frequent, metastases may develop virtually from any organ. In recent decades, the improvement of chemotherapy drugs and new surgical technologies have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with liver metastases. The chapter aims to give an overview about the development and clinical presentation of liver metastases by focusing on the treatment of the latter. Throughout this chapter, we attempt to clarify the mechanism by which liver is a privileged seat of metastases. We also describe some promising current therapies for liver metastases.