title: Pulmonary resection for metastases of colorectal origin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop selection criteria for pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with metastases of colorectal cancer confined to the lungs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of all patients operated on for this condition in the Netherlands in the period 1982 to 1992 (n = 38).
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation by means of Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis of factors, which might relate to postthoracotomy disease-free survival and/or postthoracotomy survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year disease-free survival was 31%, and the overall 5-year survival was 43% (Kaplan-Meyer). Multivariately, a number of three or fewer metastases (p = 0.012) and a short delay between detection of pulmonary metastases and resection (p = 0.05) related to a longer postthoracotomy disease-free interval. A longer interval between resection of the primary tumor and detection of lung metastases related to a longer postthoracotomy survival (p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with three or less pulmonary metastases of colorectal origin may benefit from resection; once metastases have been detected, resection should not be postponed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: van Halteren
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: van Geel
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Zoetmulder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013908:Thoracotomy