INTRODUCTION: Surgical resection of lung metastases may prolong survival as a part of multimodality treatment. Our aim was to review how the indications and practice of this type of surgery have evolved over time. METHOD: We included in the study all patients who were operated for this indication between 1983 and 2006 in two different surgical departments. A retrospective review was conducted including the following criteria: age, sex, type of primary cancer, type of pulmonary resection, histology of metastases, perioperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: Four hundred and seventy-two operations were performed in 225 men and 145 women: 448 were complete resections (wedge resection: 221, segmentectomy: 47, lobectomy: 148, pneumonectomy: 32), and 24 incomplete resections. Most metastases were from colorectal (n=129), renal (n=73), and sarcoma origin (n=34); the survival rate was 38.5% and 24.3% at 5 and 10 years. The following criteria were markers of poor prognosis: incomplete or large excision (whole lung or lobar excision), size, nodal status, intravascular microemboli. Factors that did not influence prognosis were: disease free interval, location and number of metastases. Prognosis showed a significant improvement since 1998, and with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (77 patients). The survival rate for isolated metastases that were potentially candidates for radiofrequency ablation was 48% at 5 years. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of lung metastases has been notably improved by better understanding of the disease and the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach, integrating recent advances in systemic treatments. The efficacy of other forms of local surgical treatment have yet to be demonstrated.
INTRODUCTION: Surgical resection of lung metastases may prolong survival as a part of multimodality treatment. Our aim was to review how the indications and practice of this type of surgery have evolved over time. METHOD: We included in the study all patients who were operated for this indication between 1983 and 2006 in two different surgical departments. A retrospective review was conducted including the following criteria: age, sex, type of primary cancer, type of pulmonary resection, histology of metastases, perioperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: Four hundred and seventy-two operations were performed in 225 men and 145 women: 448 were complete resections (wedge resection: 221, segmentectomy: 47, lobectomy: 148, pneumonectomy: 32), and 24 incomplete resections. Most metastases were from colorectal (n=129), renal (n=73), and sarcoma origin (n=34); the survival rate was 38.5% and 24.3% at 5 and 10 years. The following criteria were markers of poor prognosis: incomplete or large excision (whole lung or lobar excision), size, nodal status, intravascular microemboli. Factors that did not influence prognosis were: disease free interval, location and number of metastases. Prognosis showed a significant improvement since 1998, and with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (77 patients). The survival rate for isolated metastases that were potentially candidates for radiofrequency ablation was 48% at 5 years. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of lung metastases has been notably improved by better understanding of the disease and the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach, integrating recent advances in systemic treatments. The efficacy of other forms of local surgical treatment have yet to be demonstrated.