Impact of biological agents on the prevalence of chemotherapy associated liver injury (CALI): Multicentric study of patients operated for colorectal liver metastases.

Background: The prevalence of chemotherapy associated liver injuries (CALI), especially SOS (sinusoidal obstruction syndrome) and NRH (nodular regenerative hyperplasia) might be reduced since the introduction of routine use of biological agents with chemotherapy in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

Methods: One hundred patients with CRLM having undergone at least one liver segment resection were prospectively included, and chemotherapy data recorded. Specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist and CALI were described. Prevalence of CALI was compared to our previous experience published in 2013. NRH diagnosis was performed on reticulin special stain, by contrast to our previous study. Postoperative outcome was analysed.

Results: Bevacizumab was more frequently administrated in patients of the present study: 53/100 (53%) compared to 20/151 (13%), p < 0.0001. Overall, in the present series, SOS was only observed in 28/100 (28%) patients compared to 116/151 (77%) in 2013 (p < 0.001). When looking specifically to patients receiving Bevacizumab with Folfox, we observed a reduced SOS prevalence compared to Folfox alone (p = 0.008). A higher prevalence of NRH was found in the present study, related to increased detection accuracy, but in patients receiving Bevacizumab in association with Folfox, this prevalence was also reduced compared to Folfox alone (p = 0.03). Both SOS and NRH were associated with severe complications (p = 0.008 and p = 0.005, respectively) and postoperative liver insufficiency (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions: The routine use of Bevacizumab in association with Folfox significantly reduced CALI prevalence, in turn linked to severe postoperative complications.