A case of metastatic liver cancer from rectal cancer demonstrating a clinical CR with 3D-CRT

The patient was a 62-year-old man who underwent a low anterior resection for rectal cancer. The tumor was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, type 2 in the Japanese classification of colorectal carcinoma. The tumor was considered to be in stage I (mp, n (-), P0, H0, M (-)). He did not receive any adjuvant chemotherapy. After 6 months from the surgery, ultra sound sonography and an abdominal CT scan revealed a 30 mm hepatic nodule lesion. We diagnosed liver metastasis of the rectal cancer. The patient refused a surgery and chemotherapy. We chose radiotherapy for liver metastasis. He was given a total dose of 60 Gy/10 fractions/10 days with 3D-CRT. After 1 month from the radiotherapy, the tumor was reduced to 17 mm in size and regressed gradually. At 19 months from the radio therapy, the disease was diagnosed as CR because no tumors were detected. There has been no recurrence for 25 months since his irradiation. 3D-CRT appears to be effective for liver metastasis from the rectal cancer.