Preoperative treatment of resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) is a matter of debate. More than 50% of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases. Surgical resection is the only available treatment that improves survival in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Neoadjuvant and conversion chemotherapy may lead to improved response rates in this population of patients and increase the proportion of patients eligible for surgical resection. The present review discusses the available data for chemotherapy in this setting.