title: Results of a pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The lung is one of the key sites of hematogenous metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer. A metastasectomy of the lung is reported to improve the prognosis of colorectal cancer. We reviewed our experience in evaluating the surgical outcomes in colorectal cancer patients who have undergone a pulmonary metastasectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-center retrospective evaluation of clinical prognostic factors (1996-2008) related to a pulmonary metastasectomy of patients with colorectal cancer was conducted. Fifty-seven consecutive patients in our hospital who had undergone a resection of pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer were retrospectively investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients who underwent an initial pulmonary metastasectomy was 63.8 years. The average number of pulmonary metastases was 3.8. Pulmonary metastasectomy was performed an average of 1.6 times per head. A total of 32 patients had undergone a liver metastasectomy, and the 5-year survival of these 32 patients was 43.1%. The 5-year survival of the time from first pulmonary metastasectomy was 53.9%. There were no statistical differences with regard to the disease-free interval, interval from primary resection, or the number of pulmonary metastasectomies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A pulmonary resection for colorectal pulmonary metastases is therefore considered to be a favorable treatment for long-term survival even in the presence of liver metastases. Thoracic surgeons should therefore aggressively perform a pulmonary metastasectomy of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Kyushu Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suemitsu
authors.forename: Sadanori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeo
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kusumoto
authors.forename: Motoharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamatake
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikejiri
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saitsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome