A resected case of liver metastasis from colon cancer that occurred 13 years after a colectomy.

A 73-year-old man, who underwent a potentially curative resection of cancer of the descending colon 13 years before, was found to have a well-defined hepatic tumor on ultrasonography. A lateral segmentectomy was performed for a solitary hepatic tumor. Histopathological examination of the tumor indicated well differentiated adenocarcinoma compatible with the metastasis from the previous descending colon cancer. There have been no signs of recurrence for 5 years after the hepatic resection. This case suggests that distant metastasis from colorectal could be found several years after operation like in this case, and consequently long-term and strict follow-up is required after curative resection of the primary lesion.