Can MELD score be a predictor of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer?

Aim: A significant number of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) present with liver metastasis at initial diagnosis. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score consists of three parameters including bilirubin, creatinine and International Normalized Ratio (INR), and is primarily used to rank the priority of patients awaiting liver transplantation. The aim of the study is to investigate the predictive value of MELD score for liver metastasis in patients with CRC. Material and Method: A total of 436 patients diagnosed as CRC were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: patients without liver metastasis and those with liver metastasis. The association between MELD score and presence of liver metastasis was investigated. Results: There were 256 (57.9%) males and 183 (41.1%) females, with an overall mean age of 64 years. Liver metastasis was found in 58 (13.2%) patients. Mean MELD score was found to be 8.88 in patients with hepatic metastasis whereas the patients without metastatic liver disease had a mean MELD score of 8.61 (p=0.015). Discussion: MELD score is significantly higher in patients with liver metastasis than in those without liver metastasis. Further studies may help to confirm this result and to determine a possible cut-off value of MELD score.