Colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) are a major indication for liver surgery in Europe, highlighting the need for standardized knowledge and training in surgical oncology. The European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) has updated its core curriculum to provide a structured framework for education. Previous publications have addressed pancreatic, hepatocellular, and biliary tract cancers to support candidates preparing for the European Board of Surgery Qualification (EBSQ) exams in Surgical Oncology and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery. However, a dedicated guide for CRLM remains absent. This article aims to fill that gap by offering a structured reference on CRLM, covering epidemiology, staging, genetics, and diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer. It also outlines multidisciplinary treatment strategies, including systemic, surgical, interventional, and palliative approaches. A structured literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify the most updated (inter)national management guidelines, prioritizing recent multicentre studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published from January 2020 to January 2025. By bridging the gap between the ESSO core curriculum and detailed subspecialty training, this guide provides an essential resource for hepatobiliary surgeons and surgical oncologists. It serves as a valuable tool for those preparing for board examinations while promoting a standardized approach to CRLM education and management across Europe.

Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery HPB Unit Stavanger University Hospital Stavanger Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine University of Bergen Bergen Norway; Division of Surgery and Oncology Department of Clinical Science Intervention and Technology Karolinska Institutet Karolinska University Hospital Stockholm Sweden

Department of HPB Surgery and Transplants Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain

Department of Surgery Tomas Bata Hospital Zlin Czech Republic

Department of Surgical Oncology Institute of Oncology Ljubljana Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine Ljubljana University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia

Department of Visceral Transplant and Thoracic Surgery Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck Austria

Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit Liverpool University Hospital Liverpool UK

HPB Unit General Surgery Department Fuenlabrada University Hospital Madrid Spain

HPB Unit of Miguel Servet University Hospital Zaragoza Spain

Johannes Kepler University Linz Kepler University Hospital GmbH Department of General and Visceral Surgery Hepatobiliary Unit Krankenhausstrasse 9 4021 Linz Austria

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