Long-term results of surgical resection of lung metastases

Between 1990 and 2000, 56 consecutive patients underwent lung resection for removal of metastatic disease. Mortality, disease-free interval, and overall survival were studied. Only patients with a complete follow-up were included and data were collected conform the protocol of the International Registry of Lung Metastases. The primary tumour in our series was an epithelial tumour in 25 patients (45%), sarcoma in 15 (27%), germ cell tumours in 11 (19%) and melanoma in 5. Operative mortality was 1.4% (1 out of 73 procedures). Germ cell tumours had the best survival (76% at 5 years), and melanoma the worst (0% at 5 years). Multivariate analysis showed that survival for patients who underwent 2 or more metastasectomies was surprisingly good with a 5-year survival rate of 46%. Survival was not related to disease-free interval, multiple lung metastases, or pneumonectomy. It is in accordance with some reports that a short disease-free interval, numerous lung metastases, or recurrence after the first metastasectomy should not preclude patients from operation.     

Results of lung metastasectomy from breast cancer: prognostic criteria on the basis of 467 cases of the International Registry of Lung Metastases.

OBJECTIVE: Metastatic breast cancer is still defined as an incurable disease. Although the prognosis after resection of isolated metastases to the lung is much better than after chemotherapy most oncologists and gynecologists disapprove of lung metastasectomy. METHODS: In order to summarize the experience of pulmonary metastatic surgery and to achieve more relevant data by an increased number of cases, we evaluate the data of the International Registry of Lung Metastases of 467 patients having lung metastases from breast cancer with regard to long-term survival and prognostic factors. RESULTS: In 84% a complete metastatic resection was possible. The survival rates are 38% after 5 years, 22% after 10 years, and 20% after 15 years. Prognostic factors are a disease-free interval of > or = 36 months with 5-year survival of 45%, a 10-year survival of 26% and a 15-year survival of 21% (P=0.0001), solitary lung metastasis is associated with a survival rate of 44% after 5 years and of 23% after 10 and 15 years, but this is not statistically significant compared to multiple metastases. When establishing prognostic groups as suggested by Pastorino and the International Registry of Lung Metastases based on the risk factors disease-free interval, number of metastases and complete resection the group with the best prognosis showed 5-year survival of 50%, 10- and 15-year survival of 26% with a median survival of 59 months. CONCLUSION: Considering the low morbidity and mortality rate, we think that lung metastasectomy today is the best treatment option in selected cases of lung metastases from breast cancer.     

Metastasectomy in renal cell carcinoma: A multicenter retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVE: In 60-70% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), metastases develop in the course of the disease. In the present analysis, the surgical management of metastases is described, and survival data are presented. This retrospective analysis may help in the management of future cases. Due to the retrospective nature of the data, no comparison between surgical and nonsurgical management is possible. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1995, 152 resections of RCC metastases were performed in 101 patients at four Dutch Hospitals. Thirty-five and 6 patients had metastases resected 2 and 3 times, respectively. In most patients, the primary tumor was resected (n = 95). Resections were performed for metastases at different locations: lung n = 54, bone n = 42, lymph nodes n = 18, cerebrum n = 12 and locations in the spinal canal, thyroid, bowel, and testis. Skin excisions were excluded from the analysis. Solitary metastases were resected in 40 patients. RESULTS: Median survival after the initial metastasectomy was 28 months. Initial tumor stage, grade, or size were not related to metastasis location or survival. The number of initially resected pulmonary metastases was of no influence on survival, however, multiple consecutive resections were related with longer survival. Patients with solitary metastases (n = 40) did not show longer survival after the first metastasectomy compared to no solitary lesions. Better survival was found for lung metastases compared to other tumor locations (p = 0.0006, log rank test) and for patients that were clinically tumor free after metastasectomy (p = 0.0230, log rank test). Additional immuno- or radiotherapy did not independently influence survival. Time interval between primary tumor resection and metastasectomy correlated positively with survival: a tumor-free interval of more than 2 years between primary tumor and metastasis was accompanied by a longer disease-specific survival after metastasectomy. Eleven patients were free of disease after metastasectomy with a median time of 47 (14-65) months. The median time of hospital admittance for metastasectomy was 9 days (4-64). Lethal complications were found in 2 patients. Long-term (>5 years) disease-free survival was achieved in 7% of patients whereas 14% of patients were free of disease with a minimal follow-up of 45 months. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Surgical management of metastases could be performed with short hospital stay, and low complication rates were found. (2) Disease-free survival was found in 14 and 7%, with follow-ups of at least 45 and 60 months, respectively. (3) The longest survival was found after surgery for pulmonary lesions. (4) Resection of solitary metastases did not result in longer survival compared to resection of nonsolitary lesions. (5) An interval shorter than 2 years between primary tumor and metastases was correlated with a shorter disease-specific survival.     

Pulmonary Resection for Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary metastasectomy has become the standard therapy for various metastatic malignancies to the lungs; however, little data have been available about lung metastasectomy for head and neck cancers. To confirm a role for resection of pulmonary metastases for such tumors, we reviewed our institutional experience. METHODS: Between 1991 and 2007, 20 patients with pulmonary metastases from head and neck cancers underwent complete pulmonary resection. All patients had obtained or had obtainable locoregional control of their primary head and neck cancers. Various perioperative variables were investigated retrospectively to analyze the prognostic factors for overall survival and disease-free survival after metastasectomy. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients, 10 (50%) had squamous cell carcinoma, 7 (35%) had adenoid cystic carcinoma, and 3 had miscellaneous carcinomas. The median disease-free interval from the time of treatment of the head and neck primary cancers to the development of pulmonary metastases was 27 months. Overall survival rate after metastasectomy was 59.4% at 5 years and 47.5% at 10 years, respectively. Disease-free survival rate was 25.0% at 5 years after pulmonary resection. A disease-free interval equal to or longer than 12 months was a significantly favorable prognostic factor for both overall survival and disease-free survival (p = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Patients with squamous cell carcinoma and male sex showed a worse overall survival (p = 0.04 and 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: The current practice of pulmonary metastasectomy for head and neck cancers in our institution was well justified. A disease-free interval equal to or longer than 12 months, nonsquamous cell carcinoma, and female sex might be relevant to a better prognosis.     

Prognostic factors and survival after resection of lung metastases from epithelial tumours

Lung metastasectomy is an accepted treatment for selected patients with pulmonary metastases. Resectability, disease-free interval and number of metastases are well characterised prognostic indicators after lung metastasectomy. Patients treated with lung metastasectomy for epithelial tumours were retrospectively reviewed. One hundred and forty-two patients were reviewed. The rate of mediastinal node metastases was 12%. Overall 5-year survival rate was 36% with a median survival time of 47 months. Recurrence rate after lung metastasectomy was 50%. Five-year disease-free survival was 26% with a median of 29 months. Mediastinal nodal status negatively affected survival at univariate analysis (5-years 32% for N+ and 40% for N-, P=0.013). Disease-free survival was significantly different according to nodal status: 5-year disease-free survival 17 and 28% for N+ and N-, respectively (P=0.053). Systemic recurrences were more frequent in patients with nodal involvement (P=0.058). Mediastinal nodal involvement resulted in a significant prognostic factor at multivariate analysis (N+: RRD=3.0; 95% CI 1.3-6.7). Patients with pulmonary metastases and nodal involvement had a poor prognosis and relapsed early after pulmonary metastasectomy. Nodal status should be considered in the selection of patients for lung metastasectomy.     

Surgical approach to pulmonary metastases from breast cancer

Abstract: One of the main characteristics of breast cancer is its capability to disseminate. Solitary pulmonary metastases from breast cancer occur rarely (0.4%). The aim of this study is to check whether or not the outcome following the surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases in patients with breast cancer is in accordance with the data in the literature and based on it to identify prognostic factors. We have reviewed retrospectively data for 33 patients who underwent 43 curative resections of breast cancer pulmonary metastases between 1997 and 2002 at our department. Potential prognostic factors affecting survival, namely survival after lung metastasectomy, assessed were disease‐free interval (DFI), the number and location of lung metastases, the diameter in mm of metastases and the extent of pulmonary resection. The median survival for 33 patients with pulmonary breast cancer metastatic lesions after metastasectomy was 73.2 months. Mean 5‐year survival was 54.5%. There was a statistically significant difference in survival time with better prognosis for patients with DFI > 36 months (p = 0.0007), complete metastasectomy (p = 0.0153), unilateral pulmonary metastases (p = 0.0267) and for patients who underwent multiple operations (p = 0.0211). In multivariate analysis there was significant influence for long‐term prognosis for patients with DFI > 36 months (p = 0.0446) and for complete resection of the metastases (p = 0.0275). Analysis of the survival rates for patients with solitary pulmonary metastasis, with different size of tumors and after different types of pulmonary resection showed no significant differences. It was concluded that resection of lung metastases from breast cancer may offer a significant survival benefit for selected patients. The identified prognostic factor for survival after metastasectomy is DFI longer than 36 months and complete resection of the metastases. In our group of patients, DFI longer than 36 months, unilateral pulmonary metastases and number of operations significantly influenced survival. Also, the results showed that lung metastasectomy by conventional surgery is a safe procedure with low perioperative morbidity and mortality rate.     

Prognostic factors and survival after pulmonary resection of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary metastasectomy as well as immunotherapy have reproducible, albeit limited efficacy in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We examined whether metastasectomy improved overall survival compared with results of immunotherapy. METHODS: Between 1975 and 2003, 64 patients (41 men, 23 women) underwent pulmonary resection of metastatic RCC. Only patients who met the criteria for potentially curative operation, that means, control of primary tumor, ability to resect metastatic disease and no other extrapulmonary metastases, were included. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival was 33.4% (median survival: 39.2 months). A significant longer survival was observed using multivariate analysis in patients with complete pulmonary resection (R0), with a 5-year survival of 39.9% and a median survival of 46.6 months in correlation to patients with incomplete resection (5-year survival 0%, median survival 13.3 months). In multivariate analysis patients with synchronous metastases had a significant worse prognosis in correlation to patients with metachronous metastases. The 5-year survival of curative resected patients with metachronous metastases was 43.7% versus 0% for synchronous metastases, respectively. In patients with solitary metastasis and R0 resection, we observed a 5-year survival of 49%, whereas the rate was 23% in patients with more than a single metastasis. When establishing prognostic groups as suggested by the International Registry based on the risk factors disease-free interval, number of metastasis and complete resection the group with the best prognosis showed a 5-year survival of 52% (median survival 75.2 months). CONCLUSION: Metastasectomy nowadays is the best treatment option in cases with technical resectable metastases with as much as possible good prognostic factors (metachronous metastases with long DFI, number up to 6 metastases).     

The presence of colorectal hepatic metastases does not preclude pulmonary metastasectomy

Hepatic metastases due to colorectal carcinoma have often been felt to preclude pulmonary metastasectomy. With the recent advances in surgical options, should patients with both liver and lung metastases be considered for surgical resection? The current study reviews the impact of such aggressive management on disease-free and overall survival (OS). The clinical course of 63 patients presenting with colorectal metastasis to the lung alone (group 1, n = 45) or combined hepatic and lung metastases (group 2, n = 18) were reviewed. All patients underwent complete resection of their lung metastases. Surgical control of hepatic tumor burden was achieved by tumor ablation, intra-arterial therapy, and/or resection. All patients in group 1 and group 2 were available for a mean follow-up of 27 and 24 months, respectively. The presence of hepatic metastases, the resectability of hepatic tumor burden, and the disease-free interval after pulmonary metastasectomy did not significantly influence survival. These findings demonstrate that aggressive surgical management of pulmonary metastases in the presence of liver metastases offers a similar benefit as compared to patients with pulmonary metastases alone. Therefore, hepatic metastatic disease does not preclude an attempt at pulmonary metastasectomy if hepatic metastases can be resected or remains responsive to therapy. Such an approach achieves comparable OS and mean survival when compared to pulmonary metastasectomy alone.     

Surgical resection of lung metastases from epithelial tumors

BACKGROUND: One of the main characteristics of malignant tumors is the capability to disseminate, giving rise to local or distant metastases. Pulmonary metastases occur in almost 30% of all oncology patients, and secondary lung tumors are more frequent than primary ones. Surgical resection of metastases is now a well-established procedure, but the results vary with the histologic type of the primary tumor. We wished to identify factors affecting late survival after pulmonary metastasectomy for epithelial tumors. METHODS: We have reviewed retrospectively data for 78 patients who underwent 101 curative resections of epithelial pulmonary metastases between January 1988 and December 2000 at our department. Potential prognostic factors affecting late survival, namely histology of the primary tumor, disease-free interval, number and size of resected lung metastases, involvement of lymph nodes, use of nonsurgical adjuvant therapy, and relapse of pulmonary metastases, were investigated. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality, and the postoperative course was uneventful in 91.1% of the procedures. The mean disease-free interval was 48.2 +/- 59.8 months, and the mean follow-up after the first pulmonary metastasectomy was 40.8 +/- 31.5 months. Mean overall survival was 81.0 +/- 10.0 months, and 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 47.4% and 37.7%, respectively. By univariate and multivariate analyses, the disease-free interval and the prognostic grouping system proposed by the International Registry of Lung Metastases were found to significantly influence the long-term survival. Presence of symptoms also showed an important influence. CONCLUSIONS: Resection of epithelial pulmonary metastases is safe and effective, and is associated with very low perioperative morbidity and mortality and a reasonable 5-year and 10-year survival. In the present study, the disease-free interval influenced significantly the long-term survival. Our results did not differ significantly from (and in many cases compared favorably with) those described in the literature.     

Prognostic factors for survival after pulmonary resection of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary resection in metastatic renal cell carcinoma is an accepted method of treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical course, outcome, and prognostic factors after surgery. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1999, 191 patients (145 men, 46 women) with pulmonary metastases from a renal cell carcinoma underwent surgical resection. Inclusion criteria for the study were the absence of primary tumor recurrence and other extrapulmonary metastases. Complete resection (CR) was achieved in 149 patients. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate was 36.9%. The 5-year survival rate after complete metastasectomy and incomplete resection was 41.5% and 22.1%, respectively. In patients with pulmonary or mediastinal lymph node metastases, we observed after complete resection a 5-year survival rate of 24.4%, whereas the rate was 42.1% in patients without lymph node involvement. A significantly longer survival was observed for patients with fewer than seven pulmonary metastases compared with patients with more than seven metastases (46.8% vs 14.5%). For surgically rendered complete resection (CR) patients with a disease-free interval of 0 to 23 months, the 5-year survival rate was 24.7% compared with 47% for those with more than a 23-month disease-free interval. By multivariate analyses, we showed that the number of pulmonary metastases, the involvement of lymph node metastases, and the length of the disease-free interval were all predictors of survival after complete resection. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that pulmonary resection in metastatic renal cell carcinoma is a safe and effective treatment that offers improved survival benefit. Prognosis-related criteria are identified that support patient selection for surgery.     

Resection of Noncolorectal and Nonneuroendocrine Liver Metastases: Late Metastases Are the Only Chance of Cure

Resection of liver colorectal metastases allows a 5-year survival in 25% to 35% of patients. The outcome of patients with noncolorectal metastases is unknown because of the heterogeneity of this group. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate predictive factors of survival in patients who underwent resection of noncolorectal and nonneuroendocrine (NCRNE) liver metastases. From 1980 to 1997, 284 patients underwent hepatectomy for liver metastases of whom 39 (25 men and 14 women, mean age 55 years) had curative resection for NCRNE liver metastases. No patients had extrahepatic disease. The primary tumors were gastrointestinal (n = 15), genitourinary (n = 12) and miscellaneous (n = 12). The mean number of metastases was 1.8, and the mean size of the lesions was 51 mm. The median disease-free interval was 27 months. Twenty patients had a major hepatectomy and 19 a minor resection, with simultaneous resection of the primary in 6 cases. Overall survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. There was no operative mortality, and 8% morbidity. The survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 81, 40, and 35%, respectively. Patients with a disease-free interval higher than 24 months had a greater survival rate than those with a disease-free interval of less than 24 months (100% vs. 10%; p = 0.0004). Survival was not significantly influenced by age, sex, type of primary tumor, number, size and localization of metastases, type of hepatectomy, or blood transfusion. Resection of NCRNE liver metastases should be justified for patients without extrahepatic disease and resectable metastases, especially for those who have a disease-free interval of more than 24 months.     

Pulmonary Metastasectomy for Head and Neck Cancers

Background: Distant metastases from carcinomas that arise from the head and neck region are infrequent. The most common site is the lung. To evaluate the results of resection of pulmonary metastases for head and neck cancers, we reviewed our own cases of these metastases.Methods: Between November 1966 and March 1995, 83 patients with pulmonary metastases from head and neck cancers underwent 94 thoracic operations. All patients had obtained or had obtainable locoregional control of their primary head and neck cancers. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used to analyze the prognostic factors for survival after metastasectomy.Results: Median age was 53 years (range, 17–77). Fifty-nine were male and 24 were female. Forty-one patients had squamous cell cancers, and 36 had glandular tumors that consisted mostly of thyroid and adenoid cystic carcinomas. The median disease-free interval from the time of treatment of the head and neck primary cancers to the development of pulmonary metastases was 27 months. Sixty-eight (82%) patients had complete resection. Overall operative mortality rate was 2%. Overall actuarial survival rate after metastasectomy was 50% at 5 years. Patients with glandular tumors had a 5-year survival rate of 64% compared with 34% for patients with squamous cell cancers. When the patients with glandular tumors were analyzed according to their histology, patients with adenoid cystic carcinomas had an 84% 5-year survival, but none remained disease-free. Patients with thyroid cancers fared similarly whether they were treated medically or surgically. On multivariate analysis, the adverse prognostic factors for patients with squamous cell cancers were incomplete resection, age greater than 50 years, and disease-free interval less than or equal to 2 years.Conclusions: Approximately 30% of patients with pulmonary metastases from squamous cell cancers of the head and neck who underwent complete resection of all their metastases can expect to achieve long-term survival. The role of pulmonary resection for patients with glandular tumors is unclear.Presented in part at the 51st Annual Symposium Meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology, San Diego, March 26–29, 1998.     

Pulmonary metastases from epithelial tumours: late results of surgical treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Development of distant metastases is one of the primary characteristics of malignant tumours. During the last decades, lung metastasectomy has been progressively accepted as a therapeutic option in oncology patients. The present paper aims to evaluate the long-term results and factors influencing prognosis in patients submitted to lung resection for metastases from extrapulmonary epithelial tumours. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data of 202 patients undergoing 207 procedures of lung metastasectomy between January 1980 and December 2003. Factors that may influence long-term prognosis such as completeness of resection, histology of the tumour, disease-free interval, number of resected lesions, involvement of hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes, systemic treatments were investigated. RESULTS: Complete resection was carried out in 169 patients (83.7%). The more frequent lung resection was sublobar in 67.6% of cases, but rarely in selected patients bilobectomy or pneumonectomy has been carried out too. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were 7.7% and 0.9%. Mean disease-free interval was 49+/-48 months. Mean follow-up was 33+/-31 months, 5-year and 10-year survival rates for completely resected patients were 43% and 17%, respectively. By univariate and multivariate analyses, completeness of resection, disease-free interval of 36 months or more, and single resected metastasis were found to be significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Resection of epithelial lung metastases allows an acceptable prognostic result in appropriately selected patients with very low perioperative morbidity and mortality. Factors such as high disease-free interval, single metastasis and completeness of resection are demonstrated and confirmed to be significantly associated with long-term survival.     

Longterm results after resection of simultaneous and sequential lung and liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Although simple lung or liver metastasectomy from colorectal cancer have proved effective in selected patients, the value of simultaneous biorgan metastasectomies is still debated. STUDY DESIGN: Of 155 patients who underwent operation for lung or liver colorectal metastases between March 1987 and December 1998, we retrospectively reviewed 29 patients who presented simultaneous (n = 12) or sequential liver-->lung (n = 10) and lung-->liver (n = 7) metastases. All metastases were successfully resected in a total of 56 separate procedures. In 35 thoracic procedures, 45 metastases were removed by wedge resection (n = 36) or lobectomy (n = 9). In addition, 47 liver metastases were resected with wedge (n = 24), segmentectomy (n = 13), or lobectomy (n = 10). There were no perioperative deaths and the morbidity rate was low (10.7%). All patients were followed for a minimum of 3 years. Factors possibly influencing survival were evaluated by univariate and subsequently by multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Median survival from the second metastasectomy was 41 months, with a 5-year survival rate of 51.3%. Risk factor distribution among the three metastastic pattern groups was insignificant. Premetastasectomy elevated levels of both CEA and CA19-9 (p = 0.0001), and mediastinal or celiac lymph node status (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with survival in the univariate analysis, although number of metastasectomies, disease-free interval, and simultaneous versus sequential diagnosis were not. In the multivariate analysis, only elevated CEA plus CA19-9 (p = 0.01) was significantly associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that either simultaneous or sequential lung and liver metastasectomy can be successfully treated by surgery. Poor results were obtained in the presence of high levels of CEA plus CA19-9.     

Pulmonary resection for metastases from colorectal cancer: factors influencing prognosis. Twenty-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: We reviewed our experience in the surgical management of 80 patients with colorectal pulmonary metastases and investigated factors affecting survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 1980 to December 2000, 80 patients, 43 women and 37 men with median age 63 years (range 38-79 years) underwent 98 open surgical procedure (96 muscle-sparing thoracotomy, one clamshell and one median sternotomy) for pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer (three pneumonectomy, 17 lobectomy, seven lobectomy plus wedge resection, six segmentectomy, three segmentectomy plus wedge resection and 62 wedge resection). Pulmonary metastases were identified at a median interval of 37.5 months (range 0-167) from primary colorectal resection. Second and third resections for recurrent metastases were done in seven and in four patients, respectively. RESULTS: Operative mortality rate was 2%. Overall, 5-year survival was 41.1%. Five-year survival was 43.6% for patients submitted to single metastasectomy and 34% for those submitted to multiple ones. Five-year survival was 55% for patients with disease-free interval (DFI) of 36 months or more, 38% for those with DFI of 0-11 months and 22.6% for those with DFI of 12-35 months (P=0.04). Five-year survival was 58.2% for patients with normal preoperative carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) levels and 0% for those with pathologic ones (P=0.0001). Patients submitted to second-stage operation for recurrent local disease had 5-year survival rate of 50 vs. 41.1% of those submitted to single resection (P=0.326). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary resection for metastases from colorectal cancer may help survival in selected patients. Single metastasis, DFI>36 months, normal preoperative CEA levels are important prognostic factors. When feasible, re-operation is a safe procedure with satisfactory long-term results.     

Results and prognostic factors after resection of pulmonary metastases

One hundred and fifty-nine thoracotomies were performed in 122 patients with pulmonary metastases. The patients' ages ranged from 2 to 76 years, and 13 patients were younger than 18 years. The primary tumour was carcinoma in 83 cases, sarcoma in 29 cases and melanoma in 10 cases. The primary tumour in children was osteogenic sarcoma (6 patients), Ewing's sarcoma (2 patients) and Wilms' tumour (2 patients). With a minimum follow-up of 2 years, an actuarial 5-year survival rate of 38% was observed for carcinoma and 28% for sarcoma. Four of the children survived disease-free for 3 years or more after pumonary metastasectomy. The primary tumour in these cases was osteogenic sarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. A statistically significant difference in survival was found between the groups of carcinoma and sarcoma, but the prognosis for melanoma patients was markedly worse. In carcinoma patients the main prognostic factor was the duration of the disease-free interval. The actuarial postthoracotomy survival in patients with osteogenic sarcomas was 31% at 5 years, and 18% at 5 years in soft-tissue sarcomas. The size of the lesions, activity and disease-free interval correlated with survival in the osteogenic sarcoma group, and the number of lesions in the soft-tissue sarcoma group. An aggressive surgical approach towards pulmonary metastatic disease thus appears to be justified.     

Therapeutic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical resection of colorectal pulmonary metastases

Objective: Careful patient selection is vital when video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) therapeutic pulmonary metastasectomy of colorectal carcinoma is considered. Complete resection of all metastatic disease remains a vital concept. We reviewed our VATS experience for therapeutic metastasectomy of peripheral colorectal pulmonary metastases. Methods: Over 90 months, therapeutic VATS metastasectomy was accomplished upon 80 patients with colorectal metastases. Thin cut computed tomography (CT) was central in identifying lesions. The mean interval from primary carcinoma to VATS resection was 41 months (1–156 months; median, 33). A solitary lesion was resected in 60 patients and multiple (2–7) lesions resected in 20 patients. Statistics were obtained using the Student's t-test. Results: No operative mortality or major postoperative complications occurred. The hospital stay was 4.5±2.2 days (range, 1–13). All lesions were resected by VATS, with four conversions to thoracotomy to improve the margins. The mean survival of patients with one lesion was 34.8 months compared with 26.5 months for patients with multiple lesions (P=0.37). The mean survival was 20.5 months when metastases occurred <3 years vs. 28.1 months for >3 years from primary carcinoma resection (P=0.20). Twenty-five (31%) patients are disease free; with a mean interval of 38.7 (3–84; median, 35) months. Sixty-nine percent (55/80) of patients developed a recurrence: 6/80 (8%) local; 19/80 (24%) regional (same hemithorax away from resection); and 30/80 (38%) distant. The overall survival at 1 year was 81.2%, 48.4% at 3 years and 30.8% at 5 years. Conclusions: Therapeutic VATS resection of colorectal metastases appears efficacious. Preoperative CT can identify peripheral colorectal metastases amenable to VATS. Conversion to thoracotomy is indicated when none of the lesions identified by CT are found or when clear surgical margins are jeopardized.     

Pulmonary metastases from uterine malignancies: results of surgical resection in 133 patients

OBJECTIVE: The long-term results of the surgical treatment for patients with pulmonary metastases from uterine malignancies were clarified. METHODS: A total of 133 patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for uterine malignancies were enrolled in the Metastatic Lung Tumor Study Group of Japan between March 1984 and February 2002. These patients constituted the study population, and their clinical, pathologic, and prognostic data were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The morbidity and mortality rates related to the operation were minimal (1% and 1%, respectively). The 5- and 10-year survivals after the surgical resection in all cases were 54.6% and 44.9%, respectively. The 5-year survivals for each histologic type were estimated to be 46.8% for squamous cell carcinoma (n = 58), 40.3% for cervical adenocarcinoma (n = 13), 75.7% for endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 23), 86.5% for choriocarcinoma (n = 16), and 37.9% for leiomyosarcoma (n = 11). In the univariate analysis, the following were shown to be associated with poor survival: primary tumor in the cervix, short disease-free interval (<12 months), large number of resected metastases (> or =4), and large tumor size (> or =3 cm). After mutual adjustment, short disease-free interval (<12 months) alone was related to risk of death (hazard ratio = 2.26, 95% confidence interval = 1.06-4.78) for 105 patients, excluding patients with choriocarcinoma and miscellaneous histologic types. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary metastasectomy for uterine malignancies is a safe and acceptable treatment to improve survival. Patients with a disease-free interval of 12 months or more are good candidates for this treatment if there is adequate control of the primary tumor without extrapulmonary metastasis.     

Surgeon's role in the management of solitary renal cell carcinoma metastases occurring subsequent to initial curative nephrectomy: An institutional review

Background: Solitary metastases from a primary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) occur in <10% of patients with metastatic RCC. To date, the benefit of surgically resecting such apparently solitary lesions has not been well documented. Materials and Methods: Forty-one patients (25 men, 16 women) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated by surgical excision of solitary metastases (1970–1990) were retrospectively reviewed. They comprised 9% of patients with metastatic hypernephroma seen during this period. All patients had undergone previous curative nephrectomy with a median disease-free interval of 27 months. Patients with skeletal, spinal cord, and lymph node metastases were excluded. Results: Mevtastases were intrathoracic (n=20), intracranial (n=7), and intraabdominal or in the extrapleural chest wall soft tissue (n=10). Three patients had metastases to the thyroid gland and one had a solitary metastasis to an index finger. Median follow-up was 3.2 years. Complete resection was possible in 36 patients (88%) with a single lesion excised in 23 of these 36 patients (64%). There was no operative mortality. Predicted survival from the date of complete resection of metastases was 77%, 59%, and 31% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, with a median survival of 3.4 years. One patient is alive without evidence of recurrent tumor 93 months from the first of 12 complete surgical resections. Varying adjuvant therapy was used in 50% of the patients. An increased histological tumor grade of the metastatic lesion relative to the original RCC was the only significant prognostic indicator identified. Disease-free interval and number of resected lesions were not significantly associated with patient survival. Conclusion: A small fraction of renal cell carcinoma patients are candidates for potentially curative surgical resection of solitary metastatic lesions. Excision of such lesions may contribute to prolonged survival in selected instances. The results of this study were presented at the 46th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Los Angeles, California, March 18–21, 1993.     

Long-term survival after resection of pulmonary metastases from carcinoma of the breast.

Resection of isolated pulmonary metastases may yield improved survival in select patients. Between 1981 and 1991, 44 women (median age, 55 years) with a history of breast cancer underwent 47 thoracotomies with no operative deaths and only three minor postoperative complications (3/47, 6.4%). Confirmation of the metastatic origin of the lung lesion was made by direct histological comparison with the primary. Three patients had benign nodules and were excluded, and 4 patients had less than complete resection at thoracotomy. The median survival after thoracotomy of the remaining 37 patients with completely resected metastases was 47 +/- 5.5 months, and their actuarial 5-year survival was 49.5%. Patients with a disease-free interval of longer than 12 months had a longer survival (median survival, 82 +/- 6 months; 5-year survival, 57%) than patients with a disease-free interval of 12 months or less (median survival, 15 +/- 3.6 months; 5-year survival, 0%) (p = 0.004). Patients with estrogen receptor-positive status (n = 14) tended to have longer survival after resection than patients with estrogen receptor-negative status (n = 15) (median survival, 81 +/- 9 months versus 23 +/- 6 months, respectively; p = 0.098). Other clinical variables analyzed did not predict survival after thoracotomy. We conclude that resection of pulmonary metastases in patients with breast cancer can be done safely and may result in long-term survival for a substantial number of patients. Patients with a disease-free interval of longer than 12 months have an excellent prognosis after complete resection.