Pulmonary resection for metastases of colorectal origin.
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.
van Halteren
H K
HK
Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam.
van Geel
A N
AN
Hart
A A
AA
Zoetmulder
F A
FA
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