title: Factors influencing long-term survival after lung metastasectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disease-free interval, histology of primary tumor, and number and size of metastases resected (at first metastasectomy) were studied after resection of pulmonary metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1980 and 1993, 276 consecutive patients underwent lung resections for curative removal of metastatic disease. At subsequent relapse, 63 patients had a second-stage metastasectomy, 12 went on to a third phase, and 2 patients had four stages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary tumor was sarcoma in 126 cases (46%), teratoma in 88 (32%), carcinoma in 53 (19%), melanoma in 5, and miscellaneous in 4. Actuarial survival was 69% at 2 years (95% confidence interval 62% to 74%), 48% at 5 years (40% to 55%), and 35% at 10 years (23% to 44%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survival was not related to disease-free interval. Multivariate analysis showed that nearly all predictive information can be obtained through histologic studies (p < 0.0001); inclusion of the number of metastases resected contributed to a lesser degree (p = 0.032). Short disease-free intervals, numerous lung metastases, or even deposits recurring after a first or second metastasectomy should not preclude patients from operation.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mermillod
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dahabreh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goldstraw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013724:Teratoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors