Pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer: time for a trial.
Pulmonary metastasectomy is undertaken for a range of cancers. The questions we raise here are specifically related to colorectal cancer, the commonest tumour for which pulmonary metastasectomy is undertaken. The primary objective of metastasectomy is to increase survival. There are no randomised trials in support of this practice nor are there any other forms of controlled studies. We present a critical look at the assumption of efficacy for this surgery and propose that a trial is needed and suggest a trial design.
Treasure
T
T
Clinical Operational Research Unit, UCL (Department of Mathematics), 4 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BT, UK. tom.treasure@gmail.com
Fallowfield
L
L
Farewell
V
V
Ferry
D
D
Lees
B
B
Leonard
P
P
Macbeth
F
F
Utley
M
M
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design