New surgical treatments for recurrent colorectal cancer

Abstract
Currently, only two areas of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer are potentially surgically curable: isolated liver and isolated lung metastases. Regional recurrence from rectal cancer, although probably not resectable for cure, offers an appropriate palliative goal because symptoms in such patients are intolerable. We review several new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques that have allowed wider application of surgical approaches for cure or palliation in patients with recurrent colorectal cancer.