Abstract
Approximately 25 % of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) have colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) at the time of diagnosis, and up to 60 % of CRC patients will develop CRLM during the course of their disease. Complete surgical resection of CRLM affords patients the possibility of long-term cure. With modern chemotherapy, shrinkage in the size of unresectable CRLM may allow patients to undergo surgery. However, the role of chemotherapy given prior to surgery for patients with already-resectable CRLM at the time of presentation is unclear. Currently, the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is an area of controversy in which few randomized prospective data exist to guide its use. In this review, we examine the literature and data for neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable CRLM. We review advantages and disadvantages of NAC and discuss rational indications for NAC use in resectable CRLM. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.