This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Association of Primary Tumor Resection with Survival in De Novo Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study with Propensity Score Matching
Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Ankara 06170, Türkiye
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Curr. Oncol. 2026, 33(8), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol33080467
Submission received: 19 June 2026
/
Revised: 31 July 2026
/
Accepted: 4 August 2026
/
Published: 5 August 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Gastrointestinal Oncology)
Simple Summary
Colorectal cancer that has already spread to other organs is difficult to treat, and it is still unclear whether removing the original bowel tumor helps patients live longer. We reviewed 204 patients with stage IV colorectal cancer. Patients who had the original tumor removed had a longer time before disease progression, although the overall survival advantage was less certain after further adjustment. However, they were also younger, in better general health, and more often had cancer that had spread to only one organ. This means that the survival difference may not have been caused by surgery alone. A change in the BRAF gene was linked to shorter survival, while better nutritional and immune status was linked to longer survival. These findings suggest that surgery should not be routinely offered to every patient. Decisions should consider symptoms, overall health, how far the cancer has spread, and tumor characteristics. Further studies are needed to identify the patients most likely to benefit.
Abstract
Background: The role of primary tumor resection (PTR) in patients with de novo stage IV colorectal cancer remains controversial, particularly in the context of patient selection and tumor biology. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PTR and survival outcomes and to identify clinical, molecular, and inflammatory-nutritional prognostic factors in patients with de novo stage IV colorectal cancer. Methods: Medical records of 204 patients with de novo stage IV colorectal adenocarcinoma treated at Ankara Etlik City Hospital from December 2022 to December 2025 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were grouped according to PTR status. Baseline clinicopathological features, molecular tumor profile, metastatic disease extent, treatment characteristics, and inflammatory-nutritional markers were recorded. Survival outcomes were assessed in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression models, as well as 1:1 propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses. Results: PTR was performed in 114 patients (55.9%), while 90 patients (44.1%) did not undergo PTR. Patients who underwent PTR were younger, had better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and more frequently had single-organ metastatic disease. In the unmatched cohort, patients who underwent PTR had longer median PFS and OS than those without PTR (15.88 vs. 11.03 months and 16.14 vs. 11.54 months, respectively; both log-rank p < 0.001). In the adjusted Cox models, PTR corresponded to lower risks of progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34–0.74; p < 0.001) and death (HR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.30–0.77; p = 0.002), whereas BRAF mutation showed higher risks of progression (HR: 3.00; 95% CI: 1.70–5.29; p < 0.001) and death (HR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.83–6.38; p < 0.001). In the propensity score–matched cohort comprising 50 matched pairs, PTR remained associated with a lower risk of progression or death (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.40–0.87; p = 0.007), whereas its association with OS was not statistically significant (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.42–1.13; p = 0.141). Sensitivity analyses generally yielded estimates favoring PTR, although the statistical significance of the association with OS varied across analyses. Patients with higher prognostic nutritional index (PNI) values showed more favorable survival outcomes. Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort, PTR was consistently associated with longer PFS, whereas its association with OS was less robust across the adjusted analyses. Because these patients had a more favorable baseline profile, these associations should be viewed with caution and in relation to patient selection. BRAF mutation and PNI emerged as important prognostic factors, supporting a multidimensional approach to survival assessment that incorporates metastatic disease burden, tumor biology, and inflammatory-nutritional status.
